Guy Cohen's brace and individual goals by Dor Jan and Sharon Zisso guaranteed Maccabi Tel Aviv's U19s a place in the last 16 of the Under-19 State Cup
Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" opened their campaign in the prestigious Under-19 State Cup competition on the right foot with a convincing 4-0 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem. After seeing their excellent run in the league suddenly come to an end last Saturday with a loss at Hapoel Rishon Lezion, head coach Amir Turgeman's charges again finished a match with the sweet taste of victory. Midfielder Guy Cohen scored a brace on either side of halftime and striker Dor Jan and midfielder Sharon Zisso provided the other two as the lads in Yellow advanced to the last 16 of the Under-19 State Cup competition at the expense of their Jerusalem rivals.
Maccabi started applying the pressure just after kick-off and Guy Cohen announced his intentions with two excellent but unfulfilled chances. Defender Osher Abu also tested the visitor's goalkeeper with a header from close range and with a second opportunity later on, but the Hapoel goalkeeper and his back four held firm. In contrast to Maccabi's 5-0 victory in the earlier league match between these two adversaries at Kiryat Shalom training ground, Jerusalem did not roll over quite so easily this time out, at least not in the first half. After another goalkeeper's save of a Lanre Kehinde effort, it was not until the dying moments of the first half that a slick passing move between Dor Jan and Sharon Zisso resulted in Guy Cohen's first goal of the afternoon.
Guy Cohen opened the second half where he had left off in the first, with a shot on goal, but his header hit the visitor's woodwork. His second goal came on the hour mark when he grabbed the ball off the Jerusalem defence and slotted it past their goalkeeper to celebrate his 11th goal of the season. Ten minutes later Cohen was threatening again and again his shot hit the woodwork, but this time Dor Jann latched on to the rebound to score his 10th goal of the season. Five minutes later it was Sharon Zisso's turn to get on the scoresheet by taking advantage of a ball off the Jerusalem defence and sending it past the visitor's keeper. The final score of 4-0 promises Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" a place in the final 16 of the Under-19 State Cup competition.
Next Saturday the Under-19s will return to league duties as hosts to Ironi Kiryat Shmona. Matches for the final 16 of the Under-19 State Cup competition will be held four days later, on the 20th of March.
Line-up: Sahar Hason, Rotem Boskila, Osher Abu, Daniel Schwartzbaum, Shaun Goldberg, Dor Peretz, Yarden Pinto, Sharon Ziso, Guy Cohen, Lanre Kehinde, Dor Jan
