Prematch
Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv visited Hapoel Tel Aviv on Matchday 21 of the Youth Ligat Ha’Al after defeating Bnei Sakhnin last week away. Guy Tzarfati’s Starting XI was similar to last Matchday as Neal Goldberg, Eylon Almog and Dor Galili provided the attack up front.
First Half
Neal Goldberg had an early chance for Maccabi as his 3rd minute long range effort was caught by the keeper. However, it would be Hapoel who would strike first in the 5th minute as Ilay Mosiof found the back of the Yellow & Blue goal for a 1:0 lead. Almog tried to draw his side even in the 10th minute, but his 16 meter effort was blocked for a corner and five minutes later he got even closer when his attempt missed the target by just inches.
But Almog wouldn’t give up and in the 21st minute the Yellow & Blue striker found the equalizer. Amit Rosenboim began the attack with a pass from the right side to Netanel Peretz who left the ball for Almog who made his way into the box and blasted the ball into the goal. Nine minutes later Maccabi almost doubled their output as Rosenboim sent the ball to Goldberg, but the latter just missed the target from close range. The play calmed down over the final quarter hour of the half as the sides went into the break even at 1:1.
Second Half
Kartzev tried his luck in the 49th minute with a scorcher from outside of the box but his effort just scooted by the post while Almog sent a beauty of a ball to Goldberg on the 53rd minute but his sharp angle shot went out. Two minutes later an inspired Almog almost gave his side the lead as his 18-meter screamer was just tipped by the keeper to safety but Kartzev would finally get the second Maccabi strike as his 18-meter special beat the keeper for a 2:1 lead.
Ron Gabbay kept the score as is when he cleared the ball off of the line in the 63rd minute while Tzarfati made a number of substitutes to see if Maccabi could find an insurance marker as Mahmoud Awesat, Ron Zamir and Amit Shapira all entered the fray. As the match hit the 90th minute Awesat’s effort was blocked by the keeper, however, the ball landed up right in front of Galili as he made no mistake and put it home for a 3:1 advantage. Hapoel would pull one goal back, but it would be too little, too late as the young Yellow & Blue would take home the Derby with a 3:2 victory.
