Striker Gael Margulies scored a brace for the senior squad as they bested the Under-19s 2-1 in a practise match at the Kiryat Shalom training ground
With twelve members of the senior Maccabi Tel Aviv squad on international duty this week, the remaining team members continue to train and today held a practise match against their counterparts from the club's Youth team. Throughout the match, held on the Youth Division's central pitch at the Kiryat Shalom training ground, team players of both the Under-19s and the Under-17s were included in the senior side. Young striker Gael Margulies netted the first goal for the Maccabi senior squad in the first half after receiving a pass from fellow striker Rade Prica. Margulies completed his brace shortly after the restart to give the senior side a 2-0 lead.
The second half saw a number of substitutions on both sides and one of them, young striker Yonatan Cohen, pulled one back for the Under-19s with a smart assist from fellow striker, the young Congolese Mavis Chibote. Towards the end of the match the Youth Team had an opportunity to score the equaliser when Chibote was brought down in the area, but the resulting penalty, taken by Youth Team defender Effi Tal, was saved by senior keeper Tomer Chencinski.
The senior Maccabi squad will continue to train tomorrow without their international teammates, who will return to practice later in the week ahead of Sunday night's home tie at 8.10pm against Ironi Ramat Hasharon at the National Stadium in Ramat Gan. Ticket sales are already underway, with a match ticket available at the flat price of NIS 50. To celebrate the return to the stadium where half a year ago last season's Championship match was played, the official Maccabi merchandise shop is holding a special sale of Championship articles at the festive price of only NIS 30.
