Maccabi's U19s stay top after beating Kiryat Shmona 0-2 courtesy of goals by Mavis Tchibota and Sohil Armeli. Next week: Showdown at nr.2, Maccabi Haifa
A week before the Under-19s play their crucial match away against title rivals Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" headed north for a tricky tie against Ironi Kiryat Shmona with a view to extending their winning run, started last week against Nes Tziona, and holding on to the top spot in the national U19 Premier League.
It took the visitors fifteen minutes to create their first scoring opportunity, when Congolese striker Mavis Tchibota snatched a ball at the halfway point. He passed on to fellow striker Raz Yitzhak, Yitzhak fed midfielder Sohil Armeli and Armeli returned the ball to Tchibota who failed to beat the Kiryat Shmona keeper. Five minutes from the break Tchibota would make amends when he received a clever chip from Sohil Armeli to the left of goal and fired home to give the visitors a 0-1 advantage. On the stroke of half time Armeli went from provider to goalscorer when he muscled his way past defenders to the right of goal and slammed home from an acute angle to make it 0-2 at the break. The second half was a far less spectacular affair, with a number of good goalscoring chances left to go begging, and the match ended with the same scoreline as the first half, with Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" taking all three important points after a 0-2 victory, their 19th league triumph so far this season.
Next week Maccabi's Under-19s will travel up the coast for a crucial match at the "Ketzef" training ground, home of the Maccabi Haifa Under-19s, who now share with "Shachar" the top spot in the league but trail them on goal difference alone.
