Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ met Ironi Rishon Lezion in the Quarter Final of the Youth Cup. Two and a half months after Maccabi recorded a 6-3 victory over Rishon in the league, both teams faced each other as coach Peter van Den Berg made several changes from his side that beat bottom of the table Ironi Nesher 2-0 last weekend.
Maccabi took the lead after 15 minutes at the end of a spectacular team effort as a cross from the right was teed-up by Orel Baye for Oscar Gloukh whose clinical finish broke the deadlock. Rishon levelled the score 10 minutes later as Yuval Sasson beat Tomer Alon with a shot into the top corner on 25. On the half-hour mark Baye came close but shot wide. Alon kept Maccabi in the game with a save that denied Roy Telio.Nine minutes after the restart, Bar Linn managed to beat Rishon’s keeper Dvir Nir but his shot crashed against the crossbar. Baye restored Maccabi’s lead in the 59thminute swapping roles with Gloukh who turned provider. In the 77th minute however Rishon were back on level terms for the second time in the game. Roy Nawai was penalized for fouling Rishon’s forward in the penalty area before Ohad Almagor successfully converted the spot kick past Alon to make it 2-2. The full time whistle sent both teams to extra time, as the winner was scored in the 111th minute by Yonatan Paz. The substitute who was introduced by Peter Van den Berg for Carlos Rivera in the 70th minute blasted a shot from outside the area that gave Maccabi the 3-2 lead which booked their place in the final four of the competition.
The Semi Final draw which took place at the IFA Headquarters on Sunday (6.3), will see Peter van Den Berg’s side face Ashdod on April 13th. Maccabi Netanya and Maccabi Petah Tikva will also compete for a place in the final as the venue has to be announced.
Maccabi Tel Aviv: Tomer Alon, Ilay Tomer (Ari Merenshtein 105), Adir Cordoba (Omer Gerafi 62), Shon Edri, Roy Revivo, Roy Nawi, Ori Halevi (Amit Zur 62), Bar Linn (Yakir Zilberman 85), Oscar Gloukh, Orel Baye (Anar Oshmandi 113), Carlos Rivera (Yonatan Paz 70).
