Matchday 23 of the Israel Youth Premier League saw Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv visit SC Ironi Ashdod at the Yud Alef Stadium. The young Yellow & Blue came into the contest in first place even on points with Hapoel Raanana but with a better goal differential and with a match in hand. Ashdod began the day in 5th place and were winless in their last 5 matches.
Maccabi Starting XI: Daniel Peretz, Noam Cohen, Alon Shtrozberg, Fadi Najar, Yoav Hofmayster, Amit Glazer, Tomer Altman, Prince Thomas, Mufleh Shalata, Eylon Almog, William Agada.
First Half
Maccabi opened the match well and had a terrific chance in the 8’ when Agada’s threatened to score in the box but the Ashdod keeper Roie Beigel made an instinctive save. Five minutes later Altman found Almog on the wing who sent a beauty of a cross to Agada who headed the ball right into Beigel’s waiting hands as the contest remained goalless. Beigel again was alert in the 17’ when the Ashdod shot stopper made another save off of an Agada opportunity.
However, in the 26’ Almog found the back of the goal when he finished off a terrific team play. Hofmayster took the ball in Maccabi’s defensive half and sent it to Cohen who handed it off to Agada and then went to Almog who made his way by a defender and put his attempt behind Beigel for a 1:0 lead. Ashdod had their first dangerous chance in the 35’ when Liel Zimro’s opportunity was taken care of Peretz who sent the ball out for a corner.
Just one minute later Maccabi doubled their lead thanks to a Altman and Almog give and go as the former scored from inside the box for a 2:0 advantage. The young Yellow & Blue almost found their 3rd of the half a minute before the break when Shalata’s chance was saved by Beigel as Maccabi took a two goal lead into halftime.
Second Half
The second half began just as the first half ended as Shalata sent a ball into the middle of the box to Thomas who sent a header towards the goal but the Ashdod defense was able to clear the ball off the line.
Maccabi’s hard work paid off in the 62’ when Shalata slotted the ball to Agada who scored from in close for a 3:0 lead and just two minutes later Shalata himself added the club’s 4th goal for a insurmountable lead as the Yellow & Blue took home the 3-points and a 4:0 win.
