The Under-16 club brought home another title for the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Department as Raymond Atteveld and assistant Jeffery Yishay’s side won the league championship with a 1:0 win over Bnei Yehuda at Shechunat HaTikva. Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” entered the contest in first place level on points with Beitar Jerusalem but with a better goal differential. A win over Bnei Yehuda would bring the title home to Kiryat Shalom.

Raymond Atteveld’s squad had a wonderful campaign winning 21 matches, drawing 4 and falling 4 times while scoring 111 goals while conceding 36 in 30 contests. Tal Torjman led all scorers with 23 goals for the Under-16’s.

After getting off to rough start, Atteveld took over the team and together with assistant Jeffery Yishay and the rest of the staff along with hard work, the Under-16 side got back onto the winning track. The squad ended the campaign with 9 straight wins and scored in 29 out of 30 matches while scoring 3.7 goals on average per game.

Atteveld summed up the match and the season: “This was a tough match as the opponent wasn’t really there to play but to stand behind the ball making it difficult to break down the wall. We spoke to the players about it as we expected that they would play like that. I told them to be patient and that the goal would come even if it was near the end of the match.”

“We tried to play football but at times our decisions were quick and not correct. In the second half the opponent began to tire and the distance between players began to open up. Our goal was scored off of a set piece and we had other chances that could have gone in. I am very happy with the result and what we accomplished as the players deserved it. After a season in which the team had 3 coaches, which is not something normal at this age, plus the unwarranted criticism we lifted ourselves up and the players went forward. We were able to move into first place and hold onto it for the balance of the season.”