Maccabi Tel Aviv FC reached an agreement with UD Universitario of Panama for the loan deal of 18 year-old striker Eduardo Antonio Guerrero Locano who impressed during a three week trial at the club.

Maccabi’s Performance Director, Patrick van Leeuwen, told the club’s website: “Eduardo Guerrero is a player we have had training with our youth team for over 3 weeks now and left a very good impression. We think that he is a perfect match to the playing style we request from our players at Maccabi and Eduardo’s further development at the club is something we look forward to. Welcome Eduardo and good luck”.

Guerrero made his name on the international stage as he scored 4 goals for Panama U17’s in the CONCACAF qualifying campaign which wasn’t enough to see his country reach the U17 World Cup. Having made his full international debut for the Panama senior side in a friendly against Granada, Guerrero will aim to lead his country to the U-20 World Cup in Poland.

After a season opening win at Bnei Sakhnin last week, the Under-19 side hosted Hapoel Hadera on Matchday 2 of the Israel Youth Premier League at the Ramle Stadium.

Head Coach Guy Tzarfati’s Starting XI: Daniel Peretz, Michael Chilaka, Alon Shtrozberg, Amit Glazer, Tomer Machluf, Tamir Glazer, Mufleh Shalata, Yoav Hofmayster, Rave Assayag, Omer Barami, Eyal Hen.

First Half
The young Yellow & Blue opened the match well and took control of possession early on. In the 5’ Maccabi had their first opportunity as a Shalata free kick made its way to Hen but his shot missed the target while four minutes later Tzarfati’s squad began an attack down the left wing. Hen and Machluf exchanged passes as the latter crossed the ball into the box but Assayag’s header went out.

In the 10’ Hadera’s chance went by the post while over the next quarter hour both sides didn’t come up with any dangerous opportunities. Hofmayster took the ball in the midfield in the 25’ and went by a pair of Hadera players but his attempt went over the bar, however, two minutes later Maccabi found the back of the goal. Tamir Glazer sent the ball to Barami who beat the Hadera keeper Ofir Abarbanel to give the Yellow & Blue a 1:0 lead.

Tzarfati’s side continued to press and in the 28’ they almost doubled their advantage but Shalata’s chance went out while his 37’ attempt was saved by Hadera keeper. Peretz needed to be sharp right before the break as visiting striker Shado Godfrey’s opportunity was saved by the shot blocker as Maccabi took a 1:0 into halftime.

Second Half
The Yellow & Blue began the half pressuring Hadera and their efforts paid off when Assayag’s shot beat Abarbanel for a 2:0 Maccabi lead in the 52’. Godfrey looked to pull a goal back for the visitor’s in the 64’ but his attempt just went by the post and four minutes later David Daoudi’s long range strike hit the post and went out.

In the 80’ a pair of Maccabi substitutes, Bar Cohen and Gil Ben Shalosh almost added the third goal but the latter’s attempt also went off the post while Tal Yaguayev went down the left side and beat his defender but Abarbanel was again up to the task. As the match began to wind down, Ben Shalosh’s chance went over the bar in the 89’ and a nice defensive play by Amit Glazer helped Maccabi “Shachar” to the clean sheet and a 2:0 win.

Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Hadera, 16:00 Ramle (U19)
After picking up a win at Bnei Sakhnin in their season opener, the Under-19 side will play their first home match when they welcome Hapoel Hadera to the Ramle Stadium on Matchday 2 of the Israel Youth Premier League.

Beitar Tubruk – Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv, 16:00 Netanya Tubruk (U17)
The Under-17 club heads to Tubruk on Matchday 2 after recording a win last week at home against Bnei Yehuda. The host’s enter the contest after falling to Hapoel Tel Aviv on Matchday 1.

Maccabi Haifa – Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv, 10:30 Haifa Kesef Lower Pitch (U16)
The Under-16 side will begin league play when they visit Maccabi Haifa on Matchday 1 as the new Head Coach Eran Sassi will look to get the seasons off to a good start.

The title defense is underway as Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv visited Bnei Sakhnin. The Club’s U19 side visited the Galilee as Head Coach started 8 veterans and 3 new players.

Starting XI: Daniel Peretz, Michael Chilaka, Alon Shtrozberg, Amit Glazer, Tomer Machluf, Tamir Glazer, Mufleh Shalata, Yoav Hofmayster, Rave Assayag, Omer Barami, Eyal Hen.

First Half
The first quarter hour saw both clubs feeling each other out as the side’s didn’t create many chances with play taking place primarily in the midfield. In the 16’ Sakhnin had the first opportunity of the contest as Muhammed Kahlayla’s shot from the left of the box hit the outside netting. Four minutes later Chilaka began the Maccabi attack from the right side, sent the ball to Barami who crossed it to Assayag but the latter couldn’t get to it in time as the ball went out.

Maccabi then took control of the contest as Assayag had a header chance that hit the post while just before the break, Mahluf sent a ball to Tamir Glazer who tipped the ball to Assayag but his shot went out as the half ended deadlocked at 0:0.

Second Half
Assayag stole the ball in the middle of the pitch in the 48’ as he sent the ball to Barami who passed it to Hen on the left side but the opposing keeper blocked the attempt. As Maccabi continued to press, the Yellow & Blue finally found the back of the goal. Tamir Glazer sent the ball to Shalata who handed it off to Barami who put it behind the keeper for a 1:0 lead.

Sakhnin then pressed to draw even but Adam Suad’s 56’ opportunity from long distance went over the goal, however a 61’ free kick was headed in by Muhammed Osman to even up the contest at 1:1. The host’s continued to pressure the Yellow & Blue goal but a Peretz save and a Shtrozberg clearance kept the score as is. In the 72’ Sakhnin again threatened Peretz’s goal but Osman’s attempt went over the goal.

In the 78’ Maccabi almost took the lead but Tal Yagudayev who had come on as a substitute hit the post. However in the 85’ Bar Cohen who also was introduced earlier into the match found the back of the goal with the winner to take the 2:1 opening day victory and the three points.

The 2018/19 season is about to get underway at the Maccabi Tel Aviv “Avi Cohen” Youth Academy and this Saturday both the Under-19 and Under-17 side’s will begin their respective title defenses. The U19s will play at Sakhnin (11:00) while the U17s will host Bnei Yehuda at the PenguinPickUp Training Ground at Kiryat Shalom (09:00).

Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv Under-19
Last season will be remembered for many years to come. The Yellow & Blue won the league championship with a 74.4% win rate while scoring 65 goals and conceding only 24.

Head Coach Guy Tzarfati will continue as the Head Coach while Nissim Dvash will serve as his assistant. A familiar face in Shura Uvarov is now the goalkeeping coach and has already begun working with the youngsters over the past month and a half. The side travelled to Bulgaria for a preseason training camp where they faced CSKA Sofia, Lokomotiv Sofia, Slavin Sofia and other local sides. After returning to Israel, the squad played the First Team’s of Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv he Beitar Tel Aviv Ramle.

The squad:

• Players who remained from last season: Omer Barami, Amit Glazer, Tamir Glazer, Yoav Hofmayster, Eyal Hen, Roy Mann, Or Itzhak, Tomer Machluf, Daniel Peretz, Alon Shtrozberg and Mufleh Shalata.
• Players who were promoted from the Under-17 team: Rave Assayag, Shay Belhassan, Gil Ben Shalosh, Roie Benbenishti, David Dego, Asaf Hershko, Tal Yagudayev, Omer Itzhaki, Bar Cohen, Dan Lugassi, Guy Mizrahi, Nadav Nidam, Bar Netanel, Omri Ram has Ido Shahar.
• New players who joined the squad: Amit Yakov who returned from loan after a season and a half at Raanana and Michael Chilaka who came from Maccabi Kabilyo Jaffa.
• This season the squad will be comprised of players born in 2000 and 2001 with one player not born in those years, Neil Goldberg who returns from injury.

Players who departed the club:

• Prince Thomas who was loaned Hapoel Hadera’s First Team in the Premier League.
• William Agada who played on loan last season returned to his parent club, Hapoel Katamon.
• Netanel Peretz joined the First Team of Hapoel Marmorek.
• The following players are on loan at Beitar Tel Aviv/Ramle: Noam Cohen. Fadi Najar, Ran Vaturi, Tomer Altman, Junas Gabarin and Eylon Almog.
• Amit Mordechayev joined the Hapoel Raanana U19 side.

This Saturday (11:00) the Under-19’s will travel to Bnei Sakhnin where they will open the 2018/19 Israel Youth Premier League season.

Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv – Under-17
The Under-17 side will also begin their 2018/19 campaign under the direction of Eliezer Ben Aharon who will be at the helm for his third season while Jeffrey Yishai will serve as his assistant.

The team is comprised of players born in 2002 who were promoted from the Under-16 side. The U17’s will be defending the league title after winning 21 of 30 matches while scoring 111 goals.

Full squad: Yonatan Imberg, Nehotai Bitton, Omer Ben Basat, Itay Ben Hemo, Imri Berenholz, Niv Berkovich, Arik Gabish, Amit Hevroni, Tomer Yakubi, Rotem Itzkar, Yali Lazar, Yarin Mozen, Ben Mosaoyev, Michael Mor, Hadar Mor Yosef, Netanel Mtaeib, Roie Maayan, Shaked Navon, Guy Siviglia, Aleksey Sapir Navon, Itay Rada, Noam Rudnik, Shahar Rosen, Or Roizman, Tal Torjman.

This Saturday, the Under-17’s will host Bnei Yehuda at the PenguinPickUp Training Ground at Kiryat Shalom (9:00) for the season opening match.