Prematch
Matchday 3 of the Youth Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al featured Maccabi Tel Aviv play away at Bnei Yehuda after the Yellow & Blue fell last week to Hapoel Rishon Le’Zion. Head Coach Guy Tzarfati’s Starting XI included Daniel Peretz in goal along with Alon Strosberg, Amit Glezer, Fadi Najar, Tomer Mahluf, Eden Kartsev, Captain Tomer Altman, Netanel Peretz, Or Dasa, Eyal Hen and Eylon Almog.
First Half
After 3 minutes of action the Yellow & Blue had the first chance of the match as Hen came down the left wing and crossed the ball to Almog, but his header missed the target. Abodalia’s dangerous free kick for the hosts in the ‘18 was saved by Peretz while 6 minutes later the aforementioned Abodalia took a Liel Bitton cross but headed the ball into the post.
In the ‘27 Maccabi took the lead thanks to Almog who took a deep ball from Altman and found the back of the goal from a tough angle for the 1:0 advantage. Four minutes later Altman tried his luck from 30 meters, but his scorcher was saved by Shachar Amsalem and in the ‘39 Bar Sidis was alone in the box but put the ball over the Maccabi goal.
Second Half
The first twenty minutes of the second half was played primarily in the midfield as both squads couldn’t muster up a dangerous chance on either side of the pitch. In the ‘65 Glezer cleared a ball in the box as Bnei Yehuda looked to equalize. Five minutes later Yarden Shoa took a deep pass and went in on a one on one situation against the Yellow & Blue keeper Daniel Peretz, but the Maccabi shot stopper was up to the task to make the stop and keep his clean sheet intact.
In the ‘78 Altman gave Netanel Peretz the ball in the box but his shot went over the bar while four minutes later Bnei Yehuda almost drew even but Sidis was stopped cold by the Maccabi defenders. Almog was free in the box in the ‘90 but his attempt was saved by the Bnei Yehuda keeper as the match ended in a 1:0 Yellow & Blue win.
