Maccabi’s Youth team suffered a 3-0 defeat to Maccabi Haifa in the 4th league round.
Eliezer Ben Aharon’s side who won two matches so far, sufered their second defeat to drop to eighth in the table. The Haifaites took the lead in the opening minute through Ilai Hajaj before Bassem Za’arura beat Tomer Alon to double the visitors’ lead on 19. Four minutes from the end Nehorai Ifrach completed the score with a solo effort to make it 3-0 and maintain Haifa’s perfect record of 4 wins from 4 matches.
The youth team faces in the 5th round Hapoel Ra’anana who are ranked 13th with 1 win 2 draws and a defeat.

Maccabi Tel Aviv: Tomer Alon, Ilay Tomer (Itay Ben Hemo, 57), Hadar Mor Yossef, Mikel Mor (Yonatan Paz, 79), Nehorai Biton, Afek Sapir Navoi, Ori Halevi (Tali Lazar, 57), Niv Berkovich, Aviv Palas (Shachar Rozen, 46), Anar Oshmandi, Mohamad Abu Iash (Tal Torgeman, 46).

Maccabi ‘Shahar’ officially kicked off the 2020/21 season with a 2-0 victory in the league away to Ramat Hasharon. On MD2 Eliezer Ben Aharon U-19’s host Hapoel Hadera that currently lead the table having beaten Beitar Tubruk 5-0.

Maccabi ‘Shahar’: Tomer Alon, Ilai Tomer, Ariel Balson, Michael Moor, Shahar Rosen, Niv Berkovic (Sean Edri 83), Rotem Yatzkar (Yonatan Paz 62), Aner Ushmandi (Elad Kaplan 83), Ori Halevi (Mohamad Abu Ayash 58), Or Roisman (Aviv Peles 62), Tal Turgeman.

The draw for the U-19’s 2020/21 league season took place on Thursday. After the previous ended prematurely due to COVID19 it was decided that this year, the top flight of the U19 league will be played in a different format. League matches will be played over one round, with each team playing 17 matches. At the end of the round, the league will be split into a top and bottom playoff according to the positioning in the table (1-8 and 9-18).
The draw also determined that the U-19’s will kick off the season at an away match in Ramat Hasharon, host Maccabi Haifa on MD4 as well as the Tel Aviv derby on MD 13.

Round 1 – full fixtures (final dates TBD):
22.8.20 MD 1:  Hapoel Nir Ramat Hasharon vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’
29.8.20 MD2: Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ – Hapoel Hadera
5.9.20 MD3: Ironi Nesher vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’
12.9.20 MD4: Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ – Maccabi Haifa ‘Hardy’
26.9.20 MD5: Hapoel Ra’anana ‘Roie’ vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’
3.10.20 MD6: Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ vs Hapoel Nof Hagalil
10.10.20 MD7: Beitar Jerusalem ‘Oren’ vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’
17.10.20 MD8: Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ vs Hapoel Rishon Lezion ‘Yehuda’
24.10.20 MD9: Beitar Tubruk vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’
31.10.20 MD10: Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ vs Ashdod SC
28.11.20 MD11: Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ vs Maccabi Netanya ‘Shlomi’
5.12.20 MD12: Hapoel Be’ersheva ‘Hashlosha’ vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’
19.12.20 MD13: Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ vs Hapoel Tel Aviv ‘Nisanov’
26.12.20 MD14: Maccabi Petah Tikva ‘Assis David’ vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’
2.1.21 MD15: Ironi Kiryat Shmona vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’
9.1.21 MD16: Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ vs Hapoel Ramat Gan ‘Efrayim’
16.1.21 MD17: Bnei Sachnin vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’

The full fixture list will be updated on the website shortly

After the U-19’s kick-started their training last week, this morning (Monday) the club’s U-17’s and U-16’s held their opening training session. First were the U-17’s led by Ori David, who won the league title last season and will continue for his second season in charge together with his Assistant Jeffry Yishai.

Assi Haber, held his first training session with the U-16’s and will continue for a second season, this time with a new Assistant – Carlos Chacana.

The Avi Cohen Youth Academy began the season as the first team to report back for training is the Club’s U-19’s – Maccabi Tel Avivc ‘Schahar’.

Eliezer Ben Aharon, who will begin his second season in-charge of the U-19’s took charge of the first session together with his staff which includes Assistant coach – Zion Cohen, Goalkeeping coach – Shura Ubarov, Fittness coach – Tal Volik and Physiotherapist – Or Aharon. The Youth team will consist of veteran youth team players as well as young players who were promoted from the U-17’s which won the championship last season.

Ben Aharon didn’t hide his excitement as he said after the session: “Despite the fact we are beginning our second season today, last season we worked for two thirds of the season . Covid19 halted our working progress and there is a feeling of an unfulfilled potential both in terms of the team and staff. Regardless, to open a second season as the Youth Team Coach of such a massive club – causes us to be immensely excited”.

“My expectations from the season are extremely high” Ben Aharon continued: “We gained a lot of experience and as coaching staff we feel more confident, connected and a lot more challenged. The club will continue the process of developing players as this is expected this season as well. The competition for places in the first team began today with the training session we held today and was relatively light due to the extremely hot weather conditions which made the lives difficult for the players and staff alike. This however is a reality we will have to get used to just like the way we missed 6 squad players to isolation and call-ups to the first team. We were forced to complete our squad with players from the U17’s and they proved that their place at the club has been justified. Covid19 will probably be with us for a while and it is important that players from the younger age group will remain part of our wide squad so that they understand our way. Finally I would like to wish everyone health and a successful season”.

The Youth Academy training camp got underway for the second season in succession. Dozens of kids aged between 8 and 15 began the first of the two-week-camp. The day of the young players began with a training session on the Kiryat Shalom pitch before taking part in a video session with the department’s analysts.

During the camp the players will continue participating in professional training sessions as well as holding meetings with a mental coach, a nutritionist, members of the medical staff etc.

Maccabi’s Under 17’s coach Ori David, who manages the training camp, said: “After a lot of preparations and hard work, we opened the training camp for the second time. It is really exciting to see the large number of players arriving from various clubs who have a thirst for information and knowledge of football. It is also very satisfying to see young players return for the second time. The camp was opened in a highly impressive manner and I really enjoyed seeing the level of the players and not less important, the level of their commitment to learn the professional aspects of our Academy’s philosophy. We ended the day with a lecture I gave on ‘The importance of the team in football’. During the week they are expected to have several surprises both on and off the pitch”.

The Club’s Youth Academy held over the past two days (Wednesday and Thursday) special days for young players from all across the country aged between 2002 and 2014. Ran Elias who leads the Youth Academy scouting department, managed the activity as alongside him were various coaches who all helped maintain the quality professionalism and pleasure. Maccabi’s Performance Director, Patrick Van Leeuwen, who heads the Academy, is interested in continuing to hold such open days for footballers of various ages.

The activity took place under the guidelines of The Ministry of Health and was split over the two-day-period between the Academy’s two sites of Kiryat Shalom training complex and the University compound. The players were divided according to their age groups as the coaching staff matched the level of the sessions according to the players’ age and ability which helped the youngsters fit into the training format. In the event that a player fits the criteria, the coaching staff is set to get in-touch with those players found suitable in order to continue the connection with them. The special day created an excellent chance for players from all across the country to come closer to the Club and take-in some of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s values.

Ran Elias, Head of Maccabi’s Academy Scouting Department summed up the activity: “We were pleasantly surprised by the number of young players who arrived despite the irregular and challenging time caused by Covid19. As opposed to previous seasons we decided to split the Open Day over a two-day-period and into two separate compounds, so that we could conduct the activity under the strict guidelines of the Ministry of Health. This is one of many projects we run during the season and hope to continue holding them in the future. Our aim is to see talented players from all across the country and give them the opportunity to train and play on the pitches of the Youth Academy and under our coaching staff. I would like to use the opportunity to thank all the coaches and club employees who took part in ensuring that such an activity was so successful”.

Niv Berkovic, 17,  who played for the Youth team last season and is also featured for Israel’s U-18’s, extended his contract at Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Maccabi’s Performance Director, Patrick Van Leeuwen, told the club’s official website: “Niv is a midfielder who is playing for the moment at Maccabi’s U-19’s as well as a regular for Israel’s young national teams. We think that next season will be an important year for Niv to continue his development. We demand from all players to show stability and consistency so that we could enjoy good performances from him week in week out”.

Berkovic joined the club at the age of 12 and made 22 appearances in all competitions for the Youth Team. The central midfielder who made 16 appearances for Israel’s U-17’s and U-18’s national sides, added: “I am delighted to sign my first senior contract and would like to thank Maccabi for the opportunity. This is only the beginning and from here I will work even harder to justify the faith the club has shown in me”.