20 of the Youth “Toto” League featured the biggest match of the league as the young Yellow-and-Blue visited the Greens at Kesef. The point differential stood at only three thanks to a terrific run of games by Maccabi “Shachar” during the matches leading up to the top of the game is clash.
The last time that the two clubs met, the Greens succeeded in snagging 3-points as they defeated Maccabi’s Under-19 side 3:2 at the Ramle Stadium. Gaby Kanichowsky and Dan Glazer scored for the hosts while Mohamd Awad picked up a brace and an own goal decided the match. Ziv Arie came into this match with a number of offensive threats bit at his disposal as Eylon Almog and Eden Kartzev were both representing the Under-17 Israel National Team in the Elite Round of the UEFA European Championships.
Lazar Durovic who returned to the squad about a month ago was given the opportunity to start alongside Eliel Peretz and Or Dasa who played in last year’s match that led to the turnaround in their season as they went on to capture the championship.
Maccabi “Shachar” had the first opportunity in the match when Eliel Peretz’s 20 meter effort hit the bar and looked to have crossed the line but then bounced out. The referee didn’t rule a goal and the match continued on.
In the 23rd minute the hosts took the lead. Yellow-and-Blue keeper Haviv Ohayon was able to stop Awad on a one-on-one attempt, however the striker’s rebound found the back of the goal to give Haifa a 1:0 advantage. Ten minutes later, Maccabi’s deficit grew to 2:0 as Zenati scored the Greens second goal of the match as the sides headed into the break with the hosts ahead.
Tomer Altman came for Omer Haramati for Ziv Arie’s team to open up the second 
half as the young Yellow-and-Blue searched for a way back into the match. But it was not to be as Muhamed Abu Fani’s 20 meter opportunity was blocked by Ohayon as the rebound was put away by Awad for the brace and 3:0 lead in the 57th minute.
Arie introduced Nadav Amran and Thomas Prince who made his debut, but it was not to be as the match ended in a 3:0 win for Haifa and the gap widened to 6-points at the top of the table.
