Today the 2013/14 nationwide youth leagues season came to an end with the MTA Youth Division harvesting their tenth title

Today head coach Ori David's Under-13 Team South completed their league and Cup double after victory in the last matchweek of the season earned them the nationwide U13 Central District League championship. Last week the youngsters celebrated victory in the prestigious Under-13 State Cup finals and today rounded off an excellent season with a 1-6 rout of municipal neighbours Bnei Yehuda. Eden Silam scored a brace and Bar Cohen, Menahem Rosenstein, Omer Yitzhak and Omri Ram all contributed individual goals. Under-13 Team South are the second MTA Youth Division team to win their age-group double this season, and they did it in style. In addition to an impressive win in the U13 State Cup final, Ori David's youngsters also achieved a remarkable average of six goals per league game they played this season.

The other MTA Youth Division team to have won their league and Cup double, the Under-16s, today came as close as they could to clinching a third season title, the "Champion of Champions". The tournament pitted the six top Under-16 teams from the two premier nationwide U16 leagues against one another. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" entered today's third and last round of the tournament leading their group, knowing that a victory might be sufficient to hand them the prestigious title. And indeed, head coach Erez Belfer's charges did their bit by beating northern rivals and namesakes Maccabi Haifa 1-0. But to their chagrin another Maccabi team, Maccabi Netanya, beat their opponents Hapoel Tel Aviv 3-0 and walked away with the "Champion of Champions" Cup level on points and goal difference but having scored one more goal during the course of the tournament, six in all to Maccabi Tel Aviv's five.

Goal difference was the deciding factor in crowning the champions of the nationwide U14 Sharon District league, with Maccabi's Under-14 Team South fancying their chances of taking top honours. They too did their bit by defeating Beitar Tubruk away 1-3, but the team who went into the final week leading the league on goal difference, Maccabi Haifa, also came up trumps and walked away with the league trophy.

In other games Maccabi's Under-17s played their final match of the season on Thursday and ended on a high. Raz Itzhak scored a hat-trick and Dor Galili added an individual effort to help their team beat Maccabi Haifa 4-1. This represented the team's second consecutive victory over their northern rivals and namesakes, the last time being a 4-0 rout in the prestigious State Cup final which handed Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" their only title of the 2013/14 season. Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-14 Team South, having already won their league title, rounded off their 2013/14 league season with a 2-0 home win against Bnei Yehuda.

 

 

 

The MTA Youth Division's second 2013/14 season league title brings awards tally to eight

After winning six prestigious State Cups, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division added a second league title to that of the Under-16s as the Under-14 Team South clinched the nationwide Central District championship following a goalless draw against Maccabi Haifa. The single point proved sufficient as the league's second-placed team Hapoel Rishon Lezion failed to take advantage after drawing themselves, enabling MTA's Under-14s to maintain their eight point lead at the top of the table with just two games left to the season. As things stand, head coach Eyal Tzahi's lads already lead the league in attack with 89 goals and have also presented the best defence, conceding just 12 goals all season.

In other Youth Division matches, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded", the club's Under-17s, saw their home tie against Maccabi Netanya also end in a goalless draw. Head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's charges, who only last week won the sixth of the Division's State Cups, lie second in the national Under-17 Premier League table. But with just two games left till the end of the season the gap between themselves and league leaders Maccabi Haifa remains unassailable. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs", the club's Under-16s, have already won the Under-16 District South League and Under-16 Cup double and have now added a season final 1-2 away win against Ironi Bat Yam, with strikers Amit Cohen and Omer Lakou contributing the goals. Head coach Erez Belfer's charges now face an additional challenge, the "Champion of Champions" tournament, which will begin next Saturday. During the tournament the top three teams of the regional North and South Under-16 leagues will face off against one another. "Eli Fuchs"'s first match will be against League North's third-placed club, Maccabi Netanya.

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", the club's Under-15 Team 1, finished their season in the Under-15 Central District League in the third spot after beating Hapoel Jerusalem 1-2 in the nation's capital. Team 2, playing in the parallel Sharon District League, also finished third after an impressive 1-5 victory away to Beitar Haifa in the last match of the season. Desalin Balacho netted a brace and Prince Thomas, Peleg Moshe and Ari Itzhak all contributed individual goals to the effort. Head coach Haim Siton's crew already lifted a trophy this season, having won the Under-15 State Cup final only last month.

After a handsome 0-3 away win against Hapoel Haifa, Maccabi's Under-14 Team North kept hopes alive that both of the club's Under-14 teams will win their league titles. They trail league leaders Maccabi Haifa on goal difference alone and there are still two games left till the end of their season. The state of play is similar in the nationwide Under-13 League Central District, where Maccabi's Team South have equal points to municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv at the top of the table, but with a superior goal difference. The State Cup winners maintained that state of affairs with an impressive 2-6 away win at Beitar Jerusalem. In a further contest, Maccabi's Under-13 Team North defeated Hapoel Ra'anana 4-0. 

 

Maccabi hold annual Youth Division Bar Mitzvah celebration at Kfar Maccabiah

Festivities were held yesterday at Kfar Maccabiah near Tel Aviv as part of Maccabi Tel Aviv's annual tradition of treating the club's two Under-13 teams, the class of 2001, to a special and moving experience to celebrate the Jewish coming-of-age event, the Bar Mitzvah. Team South, under the able stewardship of coaches Ori David and Kobi Ozer, this season won the prestigious State Cup last month and are in the final stages of a fine league season.  Team North, overseen by coaches Adi Somech and Alon Peleg, reached the State Cup semi-finals and are also doing well in the league.

The Bar Mitzvah celebrations began in the middle of last month with a traditional Bar Mitzvah tour of Jerusalem, during which the youngsters visited, among other places, the Wailing Wall and Israel's houses of Parliament, the Knesset. Now those celebrations have been completed with a spectacular event at the Kfar Maccabiah sports club near Tel Aviv that provided the young players with more unforgettable memories. And one person who made sure to make an appearance, for the second year running, was Maccabi Tel Aviv owner Mitch Goldhar, who shared some thoughts with the clearly captivated lads and congratulated them on their reaching the Bar Mitzvah age. Among those also present were the Youth Division's director of football Nir Levin and general manager Ariel Avram, who spoke to the youngsters, among other things, about the senior team and the club's Football Academy. Also attending the celebrations were all members of the Youth Division's professional staff, including Division veterans Nissim Sidi, Yehuda Livni and Baruch Azarti.

The event was compared by the senior team's legendary announcer Shay Sidi, who was also very involved with the artistic side of the proceedings that included a performance by a dance group that also had the Bar Mitzvah boys themselves out on the dance floor. As a special part of the events, members of the Under-13 Team South lifted their State Cup trophy and were treated to individual team member introductions as only Shay Sidi knows how, giving the entire affair that special Bloomfield Stadium atmosphere. To finish off the evening veteran Youth Division stalwarts Nir Levin and Ariel Avram handed out presents to the Bar Mitzvah boys as a token of pride on behalf of the entire Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division.

 

MTA's Under-19s finished off their 2013/14 season with a 1-0 home victory against Hapoel Beer Sheva. Sohil Armeli scored the only goal

Today the 2013/14 Under-19 Premier League season came to a close, with Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" ending the year on a sweet note with a 1-0 home victory against Hapoel Beer Sheva at the Kiryat Shalom training ground. The team hit the ground running and took an early lead courtesy of the seventh league goal by midfielder Sohil Armeli, whose well-taken strike landed in the corner of the opposition net. Defender Guy Aviv and midfielder Matan Hozez both had first half opportunities to increase the home team's margin with a header and a long range effort respectively, but at the end of the period it was still Armeli's goal that stood between the two sides.

After the restart, "Shachar" went on the attack once again and created a number of inviting goal-scoring opportunities. Sohil Armeli rounded the Beer Sheva keeper but his finish rolled wide. "Shachar"'s holding midfielder Dan Glazer saw an opportunity to score his first goal of the season when he had only the keeper to beat but somehow he failed to find the net. At the other end Beer Sheva kept up their search for an equaliser but keeper Matan Ambar, standing for the first time in the MTA Under-19 net, preserved his side's advantage with an admirable double save. In the dying moment of the match, second half substitute striker Amit Farhi came close to doubling "Shachar"'s margin, but in the end it was the one goal that sufficed for a 1-0 victory over Beer Sheva.

"Shachar" head coach Ziv Arie's squad finish the 2013/14 season on a respectable 60 points, just two points behind league title winners Maccabi Haifa. In a short ceremony before the match they also took leave of two of their teammates, striker Dor Jan who has recently joined the senior squad, and midfielder Daniel Gretz, both of whom have spent the last three seasons on Maccabi's Under-19 squad. Former MTA and Israeli Council for Sports Betting chairman Gidon Brickman, father of the late Shachar Brickman in whose honour  the MTA Under-19 team is named, was on hand with his wife to hand the two young stars flowers in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the success of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19 squad.     

Maccabi Tel Aviv's young players who have reached the age of thirteen were taken on a traditional Bar Mitzvah trip to Jerusalem

Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club continue their efforts to serve their young players, and not just in their footballing skills. As is the case every year, children at the club's Youth Division who this year reached the age of thirteen were treated to a special traditional Bar Mitzvah celebration in the form of a trip to the nation's capital in Jerusalem. The lucky youngsters hailed from Maccabi's Under-13 Team South, who just recently won the prestigious State Cup for their age group, and the Under-13 Team North (class of 2001). Together with their parents, the lads visited a number of the capital's central points of interest as well as the surrounding area, including a visit to the Wailing Wall and the country's decision-making centre, the Knesset.

The day started with a picnic before moving on to the sights of Jerusalem, the highlight of which was the Wailing Wall, where the youngsters and their families were treated to an extensive tour of a number of the points of interest at the Wall, a moving experience for both the players and the coaching staff alike. So much so that at the end the children participated in a traditional prayer accompanied by songs and dances. Those songs also included some Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter tunes, leaving in no doubt where these particular children hailed from. In addition to these more light-hearted activities, the children also received certificates indicating their reaching the Bar Mitzvah age at the Wailing Wall itself. This was followed by a visit to the ruins of the temple at the site and walk on foot through the old city of Jerusalem.

At the end of the tour the Bar Mitzvah group were also given the opportunity to visit Israel's parliament, the Knesset, and were given a guided tour that included meetings with members of parliament Ilan Gil'on and Ronen Hoffman, the latter  himself a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan. Gil'on on the other hand supports a different club but that didn't stop him from wearing a Maccabi Tel Aviv shirt, which he wore proudly through the corridors of power.

Despite the unforgettable events experienced during the day by the young players, their parents and the coaching staff, their Bar Mitzvah celebration is by no means over. Next week all participants will gather once again for a traditional Bar Mitzvah party at Kfar Maccabiah near Tel Aviv.

     

Maccabi's U19s did their bit against Petach Tikva but Maccabi Haifa's draw at Beer Sheva ensured the "Greenies" the title

After drawing last week against Hapoel Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar"'s title hopes remained alive ahead of this week's away match against Maccabi Petach Tikva. MTA's Under-19s came into this penultimate season match sitting second in the national Under-19 Premier League, trailing league leaders Maccabi Haifa by six points. And head coach Ziv Arye's lads showed that despite the gap, they still very much believed in their chances as they opened this title contender's match against third-place Maccabi Petach Tikva with exceptional verve, taking a 0-1 lead with just two minutes on the matchclock courtesy of midfielder Dor Peretz's second goal of the season. And eight minutes later it was again Dor Peretz, who is returning to form after having spent a healthy part of this season sidelined with injury, who doubled "Shachar"'s advantage. As word arrived that leader's Maccabi Haifa had fallen behind in their parallel fixture in Beer Sheva, "Shachar" continued to widen their lead against Maccabi Petch Tikva. At the half hour mark midfielder Sohil Armeli scored his sixth goal of the season and "Shachar"'s third to round off an excellent half for Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19s. But by the time the two squads left the pitch for the break, Maccabi Haifa had equalised to widen their lead at the top of the table to four points.

After the restart the hosts managed to pull one back, but midfielder Eliel Peretz restored "Shachar"'s three-goal cushion and at 1-4 their remained little doubt as to the ultimate winners. After a second goal by Maccabi Petach Tikva the final score was settled at 2-4, but unfortunately for the visitors Maccabi Haifa held on for a draw at Beer Sheva to preserve their four-point lead with only three points left to play for in the Under-19 season. Maccabi Tel Aviv will thus have to wait for the 2014/15 season to renew their title hopes.

In their last tie of the Under-19 season, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" will host Hapoel Beer Sheva at the Kiryat Shalom training ground.  

 

Today all of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division teams participated in a Memorial Day ceremony held at Kiryat Shalom

As in every year, today the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division held a Memorial Day ceremony at their complex at Kiryat Shalom training ground. The ceremony, which began by lowering the Israeli flag to half mast, was attended by all the members of the various Youth Division teams and their coaching staffs. Six of the young Maccabi players read poems in memory of Israel's fallen soldiers: Shaun Goldberg and Dan Glazer of the Under-19s and Omer Katz, Ophir Tweeg, Omer Lakou and Abed Alsalam Salame of the Under-16s. Leon Asraf, head coach of the Under-12 Team South, called Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oz" in memory of the late Oz Tzemah, lit the ceremonial flame. Oz Tzemah was a devoted Maccabi Tel Aviv fan who died in battle in 2006. The club's Under-15 team, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", is also named after a devoted fan of the club, Eldad Regev, who as a reservist also died in service in 2006.    

 

Despite constant pressure on the opposition goal, Maccabi's Under-19s managed only one goal in a 1-1 home draw against Hapoel Haifa

With only three matches to play and trailing league leaders Maccabi Haifa by six points, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19s today welcomed Hapoel Haifa to the Kiryat Shalom training ground hoping to keep a hand in the title race. Head coach Ziv Arie's lads made their intentions clear from the very start of the match, immediately putting the opposition goal under pressure. With just two minutes gone midfielder Dor Peretz, returning to form after a long injury, missed scoring his first goal of the season by a whisker. Before the half hour mark, midfielders Sheked Azulai  and Eliel Peretz, who scored a brace in last week's Tel Aviv derby, had both come close to beating Hapoel Haifa keeper Romeo Nofi, the latter with a powerful shot that hit the post. Close to half time Ofek Barzani, playing in attack, tried his luck as well but could only hit the side netting.

In the second half Eliel Peretz was again on the prowl and came close just after the restart. Dor Peretz too continued to threaten and forced a good save from the Hapoel Haifa keeper with a long range effort. Amid all this pressure and against the run of play, a Hapoel Haifa corner glanced off defender Shachar Fiban into the Maccabi net. Five minutes later, "Shachar" were on equal terms when defender Guy Aviv, deputised into the Maccabi attack, mastered an accurate long ball from Dor Peretz and fired past Romeo Nofi. In the dying moments substitute striker Amit Farhi hit the post and midfielders Daniel Gretz and an excellent Dor Peretz also came close, but their efforts were cleared off the line or deflected by the keeper and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

After Maccabi Haifa lost their Saturday tie 0-1 to Maccabi Petach Tikva, Maccabi's Under-19s maintain a theoretical chance of reaching the top. Next week "Shachar" will travel to Haifa to face the league leaders in their penultimate match of the season. 

 

A dramatic late-match Eliel Peretz brace brought MTA's U19s from two goals down to draw in the Tel Aviv derby

A day of Tel Aviv derbies for both Maccabi's Under-19 and senior team got off to a most dramatic start as Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" earned a last-minute point at Hapoel Tel Aviv's Wolfson training ground. In last round's reverse fixture at Maccabi's Kiryat Shalom training ground, "Shachar" displayed complete dominance, winning 4-1. This time out, head coach Ziv Arie's lads were after another dominant performance that would keep them within shouting distance of league leaders Maccabi Haifa. Three consecutive opportunities just after the ten minute mark bode well for that objective, but the efforts of striker Amit Farhi and midfielders Shaked Azulai and Sohil Armeli all missed their marks. Thereafter the pace of the tie slackened, with only striker Yonatan Cohen and, at the other end ex-Maccabi player Sagiv Yehezkial, making long-range efforts that left the match goalless at half time.

Two minutes after the restart it was the alertness of Maccabi keeper Sahar Hason that kept out Hapoel's Raz Nahmias. But just after the hour mark the home side finally found an opener courtesy of a spot kick by Ramsey Sfuri. Three minutes later the advantage was doubled by Michael Hemo and remained in place until the final ten minutes of the match. But "Shachar" had no intention of conceding the tie even after seeing Yonatan Cohen sent off for a second bookable offence. Ten minutes from time an Ofek Barzani corner sailed over the heads of the Hapoel Tel Aviv defence for midfielder Eliel Peretz, who headed in from close range for Maccabi's first goal of the match. From that moment on momentum began to build at the Maccabi end and after a long-range effort by Barzani, midfielder Dor Peretz was sent through into the area and was brought down as he attempted to shoot. Eliel Peretz stepped up to the spot and dramatically completed his brace to bring the sides level at 2-2. In the dying moments the drama reached a further peak when Peretz almost got a hat-trick, but his last-minute header only grazed the woodwork. And just before the final whistle Hapoel too found themselves a man short when Dasli Tagania was sent off, but the match ended 2-2 without further incident.

Unfortunately for Maccabi's Under-19s, league leaders Maccabi Haifa were also making last-minute work of the Haifa derby against Hapoel Haifa, scoring a winner that increased their lead at the top of the national Under-19 Premier League to seven points with three matches left to play. Next week the opponent will be the very same Hapoel Haifa, who will arrive at the Kiryat Shalom training ground  for "Shachar"'s penultimate home match of the 2013/14 league season.

The MTA Youth Division's third State Cup goes to U13 South after a clear win against Maccabi Haifa

After having won their first two State Cup trophies on Friday, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division's third representative in the finals of the competition, the Under-13 Team South, took to the pitch this afternoon to face their northern namesakes, Maccabi Haifa, at "Beit Hanivharot" in the Tel Aviv suburb of Shfayim. Already sitting top of their nationwide Under-13 League Central District, head coach Ori David's Under-13s hoped to add this prestigious trophy to an already successful season. In earlier rounds the youngsters had swept aside Hapoel Herzliya, Hapoel Jerusalem and Bnei Sakhnin. In the last sixteen they defeated Hapoel Ra'anana 4-2, in the quarter finals they triumphed 4-1 over Ashdod FC and in the semi-finals they eliminated Maccabi Netanya 4-2 after an intriguing tie.

The Under-13s  found the early going against Maccabi Haifa rough as the northerners quickly jumped to a one goal lead. But their response was swift and unequivocal: A spot-kick by Osher David followed by Idan Shachar's header and a further effort by Tal Yegudaev put Maccabi Tel Aviv ahead 3-1. Maccabi Haifa then pulled one back for 3-2, but after that it was all yellow as Omri Ram added a brace and Osher Davidi scored his second of the match to hand Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-13 Team South a 6-2 victory. Squad members, trainers and special guests Hapoel Taibe Youth, whom the Under-13s have recently played in two exhibition games to promote co-existence, all celebrated together as the State Cup trophy was added to their already impressive season 2013/14 resume.