The Under-19 squad hosted Maccabi Haifa on Matchday 29 of the Israel Premier League. Maccabi “Shachar” began the contest in 2nd place, four points off the top of the table leaders Maccabi Petah Tikva while the Greens sat in 10th place.
Head Coach Guy Tzarfati’s Starting XI: Or Itzhak, Michael Chilaka, Amit Glezer, Yoav Hofmayster, Dan Lugassi, Tamir Glezer, Omri Ram, Ido Shahar, Eduardo Guerrero, Omer Barami, Tal Yagudayev.
First Half
After a quiet first quarter hour, Haifa took a 1:0 lead in the 18’ as Stav Nachmani slotted the ball home from in close. However, just 4 minutes later Ram sent a cross to Yagudayev who found the back of the goal to even up the match at 1:1.
In the 25’ Maccabi grabbed a 2:1 advantage when Lugassi located Ram who put the ball into the left corner of the Haifa goal. Two minutes later the Greens went on the attack but Itzhak was the timely save and in the 31’ Barami sent Guerrero the ball but Sherif Koif made the stop.
Just before the squads went into the break Haifa found the equalizer as Nachmani beat Itzhak on a one on one situation to make the score 2:2 after 45 minutes of action.
Second Half
Maccabi pressed right out of the gate and in the 48’ Tamir Glezer tried his luck from long distance but the Greens keeper made the save and one minutes later Lugassi sent a cross to Guerrero but his header missed the target.
In the 67’ Maccabi regained the lead when Yagudayev found Mufleh Shalata who had come on just minutes earlier to go ahead 3:2. However, in the 75’ Haifa almost drew even once again but Itzhak sent the ball off of the bar to safety. Ten minutes later Haifa just missed the target but a minute later Guerrero was issued a red card due to a foul leaving Maccabi with only ten men.
The Greens took full advantage of the situation and found the equalizer in the 88’ via Ilay Hagag from in close while Guy Dahan scored the winner for Haifa in the 90’ on a counter to hand the visitors a 4:3 win.
