Maccabi Tel Aviv's traditional "Bar Mitzvah Tour" for its young footballers took place on Tuesday in Jerusalem

As has been the tradition the past five years, this year too the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club treated their 13 year old football prodigies from Children's Team B North and South, all born at the turn of the century, to a special "Bar Mitzvah Tour". The tour included stops at a number of important points of interest in the capital and surroundings, starting with the historic site of Latrun where a tour guide joined the group to provide them with an historical perspective on all of the momentous sites they were about to visit. Those included a tour of the Wailing Wall and a visit to the place where the nation's most important decisions are made, the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset.

The children and their parents were particularly moved by their extensive tour of the Wailing Wall complex. The first stop was the tunnels where the children were able to view some of the ancient structures of great historic significance to the Jewish people. Afterwards they visited the "Generations Tunnel" where they learned about the history of the Jewish people throughout the generations. After the Wailing Wall tour, the children experienced the most significant part of the tour, the bar mitzvah ceremony itself. After a meeting with the chief rabbi of the Wailing Wall and having donned the traditional Jewish prayer units called "tefillin", the children all received a certificate in honour of them having reached, in Jewish tradition, the age of adulthood.

They then proceeded to the last stop on their tour, the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, where only 24 hours earlier Israel's 33rd government was sworn into office. The children received a guided tour of the Knesset and had the opportunity to meet and talk to parliament members Yoel Razbozov, Ophir Akonis, Tsachi Hanegbi and Ophir Pines. Finally they were able to attend an actual debate on the Knesset floor.

At the end of tour, Youth Division Football Director Nir Levin summed up his reaction: "As every year, this year too the "Bar Mitzvah Tour" is an important cornerstone of the Youth Division, whose responsibility is not just football but also education and values. Everyone who participated in this tour, both the children and their parents, were deeply moved by the experience we all had today. Let me just add that the great value of that experience was in large part due to the excellent organisation of the tour itself."

Itsik ben Melech, director of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Football Academy in Mikve Yisrael and organiser of the tour for the fifth successive year, had this to say about the significance of the event for the children of theYouth Division: "In recent years it has become a welcome tradition here at the Youth Division of Maccabi Tel Aviv that as the children make their way through the ranks to the senior team, they all participate in the 'Bar Mitzvah Tour'.  What we are trying to do is enrich their lives in areas other than just football, and this important tour combines the religious, social, educational and cultural components of that effort. We've been told by every child and every parent who has participated in the tour how much they've enjoyed it and I'm sure it's something they'll remember for the rest of their lives".

For Maccabi's Children's Team B, the end of the "Bar Mitzvah Tour" is by no means the end of their bar mitzvah festivities. At the end of April they will be celebrating their traditional bar mitzvah ceremonies at Kfar Maccabia Sports Club in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv.

Photographs – Kobi Eliyahu

 

Despite coming back from a 2-0 deficit, Maccabi Tel Aviv's U19s lost in extra time to Hapoel Rishon Lezion in the last 16 of the U19 State Cup

Much like their senior team counterparts, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19s yesterday experienced an unpleasant departure from the prestigious U19 State Cup competition at the final 16 stage. The task for head coach Amir Turgeman's charges was a difficult one, an away tie against a Hapoel Rishon Lezion side they had already lost to twice in the league this season, most recently away. But only in extra time did the lads in yellow finally succumb to their opponents in orange by a score of 4-2. Trailing 2-0 to their hosts, a goal by MTA's Nigerian striker Lanry Kehinde and an own goal by Rishon defender Dor Atiach had brought Maccabi back on level terms and sent the match into extra time. Unfortunately, two more Hapoel goals in that extra time sent Tel Aviv "Shachar" crashing out of the competition for this season's U19 State Cup.

With only three first half minutes gone it was already clear Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" faced an uphill battle. By that time Hapoel's Tomer Shashonker and Daniel Bloomfield had already found the Maccabi net, a 2-0 advantage that left Maccabi to chase the match for the remaining 87 minutes. Striker Lanry Kehinde provided Maccabi's only threat on goal in the first half, while at the other end Maccabi keeper Gal Tuvali made two further saves that prevented "Shachar" from falling even further behind.

Substitutions after the break contributed to a better and more attacking start for Maccabi in the second half. Just past the hour mark one of those substitutes, defender Dean Akafi, sent a high ball to Lanry Kehinde, who headed in for his fourth goal of the season in all competitions. Two minutes later Maccabi were level after a throw-in by defender Shaun Golberg caused a mix-up in the Rishon defence which lead to an own goal by Dor Atiach. Another Maccabi substitute, striker Sagiv Yechezkel, came closest in regulation time to a decider but his shot hit the woodwork and the match went into extra time. But despite having the wind at their backs going into extra time, it was Hapoel Rishon Lezion who got the upper hand and turned the match in their favour. Two goals at the opening of the second half of extra time by Rishon's Shay Biton and Omer Atsili handed Maccabi Tel Aviv a 4-2 defeat and sent them crashing out of the competition at the last 16 stage for the second year running.

This coming Saturday at 12.30pm Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" will return to league duties with an away match against Maccabi Petach Tikvah in matchweek 24 of the U19 Premier League. 

Line-up: Gal Tuvali, Dudi Aviv, Osher Abu, Daniel Shvarzboim, Shaun Goldberg, Yarden Pinto, Dor Buzaglo, Sharon Ziso, Guy Cohen, Dor Jan, Lanry Kehinde 

 

 

Three headers, one by Dor Jan (13') and two from Sharon Ziso (33', 58'), seal a convincing 3-1 victory for Maccabi's U19s over Ironi Kiryat Shmona. Three assists for Guy Cohen

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" beat Ironi Kiryat Shmona 3-1 at the Kiryat Shalom training ground yesterday and held on to second place in the national U19 Premiere League table, seven points behind league leaders Maccabi Haifa. After ending a run of five consecutive league wins last week, Maccabi's Under-19s put in a good performance and returned to their winning ways. Striker Dor Jan scored Maccabi's first before the break and midfielder Sharon Ziso added the first of his two to send "Shachar" off the pitch at halftime with a 2-0 advantage. Ziso completed his brace after the restart and despite a reply from Kiryat Shmona towards the end of the match, head coach Amir Turgeman's lads celebrated a 3-1 victory and their sixth in the league in their last seven outings.

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" pressed straight from the kick-off and dominated in the air. In the 13^th minute that dominance translated into a 1-0 advantage when Dor Jan headed in a corner from midfielder Guy Cohen for his tenth league goal of the season. Twenty minutes later it was once again Guy Cohen in the role of provider, but this time it was Sharon Ziso who headed in his high ball to register his fourth league goal this season. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" strikers Lanre Kehinde and Dor Jan both came close to widening the margin with headers that were deflected by the Kiryat Shmona keeper. At the other end, Maccabi goalkeeper Gal Tuvali had to be at his best to stop a free kick by Kiryat Shmona captain Ofir Mizrahi.

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" started the second half in much the same way they began the first and kept the pressure up on the Kiryat Shmona goal. Close to the hour mark a free kick provided the opportunity for the home side to go three goals to the good, for the third time from a header. Sharon Ziso rose up between Kiryat Shmona's defenders to find the corner of Kiryat Shmona keeper Rom Iluz's net for his second goal of the match. Amir Turgeman's side could have widened the margin further still with a number of chances that came close. Dor Jan and fellow striker Sagiv Yechezkel both hit the woodwork and a strike from midfielder Daniel Gretz was deflected onto the Kiryat Shmona upright. An injury time goal from Kiryat Shmon's Ofir Mizrahi narrowed the gap but at the final whistle it was 3-1 to Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar".

The victory maintained the status quo at the top of the U19 Premiere League table, with Maccabi trailing their northern namesakes Maccabi Haifa by seven points. This coming Wednesday the team will take time out from their league duties to travel to Hapoel Rishon Lezion for a difficult tie in the last 16 of the U19 State Cup competition. Next Saturday they're on the road once again, facing Maccabi Petach Tikva in matchweek 24 of the U19 Premiere League season.

Line-up: Gal Tuvali, Guy Aviv, Osher Abu, Daniel Shvarzboim, Shaun Goldberg, Dor Buzaglo, Yarden Pinto, Sharon Ziso, Guy Cohen, Lenri Kahinda, Dor Jan

 

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 11^th 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 10^th 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 20^th 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

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19s failed to hold on to a slim one goal second-half lead and lost 2-1 in the dying moments to Hapoel Rishon Lezion

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" missed a golden opportunity this Saturday to close the gap at the top of the national U19 Premier League table after a dramatic last-minute away loss to Hapoel Rishon Lezion. Head coach Amir Turgeman's charges came to modern Israel's oldest settlement on the back of five consecutive league wins and trailing league leaders Maccabi Haifa by seven points. After a goalless first half, Dor Jan provided the visitors with a one-goal margin half way through the second half, but the hosts equalised five minutes later and in added time sealed their victory with a goal from Ya'acov Barihon.

Both sides performed well in the first half, attacking their opponents and creating a number of good chances. Maccabi charged down the flanks with wingers Sagiv Yehezkiel and Guy Cohen and threatened their opponent's goal on several occasions. At the other end, two excellent opportunities at the start of the match by rivals Rishon were stopped by Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" goalkeeper Sahar Hason. The best chance fell to Maccabi midfielder Sharon Zisso who headed onto the bar, but as the halftime whistle blew the teams remained deadlocked in a goalless draw.

In the second half it was Maccabi substitute midfielder Dor Peretz that caused the first real threat to Rishon's goal with a shot from outside the area that skimmed over the crossbar. But on 70 minutes it was a second Maccabi substitute, Dor Jan, who put his stamp on the game. The Maccabi skipper was the first to meet Shaun Goldberg's cross and smash it into the Rishon net to put Maccabi one goal to the good. It was his ninth goal of the season. Unfortunately for Maccabi the advantage held for a mere five minutes when Rishon midfielder Shai Beton's free kick ricocheted off the defensive wall and found its way into the Maccabi goal. And despite their efforts to get back in front, it was Maccabi who deep in injury time found themselves fishng a second ball out of their own goal when Rishon forward Ya'acov Barihon turned in a cross and handed his club a dramatic 2-1 victory.

With leaders Maccabi Haifa losing to Hapoel Tel Aviv 4-1, Maccabi missed a golden opportunity to close the gap and remain seven points off the pace. Next week Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" will host Hapoel Jerusalem in the fourth round of the prestigious Under-19 State Cup competition.

Line-up: Sahar Hason, Rotem Boskila, Daniel Schwartzbaum, Osher Abu, Shaun Goldberg, Dor Buzaglo, Roy Ya'ir, Sharon Zisso, Guy Cohen, Sagiv Yehezkiel, Lanre Kehinde

On Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv will have a "double dose" of Hapoel Ramat Hasharon, and lot's of memories to go with it

This Saturday supporters of both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Ramat Hasharon will be treated to not just one but two intriguing ties. Both the junior and the senior teams will be meeting in what could prove to be results having a significant effect on the rest of the season. Maccabi Tel Aviv will host both matches, the first of which will see Maccabi's Youth Team "Shachar" welcome their Ramat Hasharon equivalents at Kiryat Shalom training grounds at 10.30 A.M. "Shachar" head coach Amir Turgeman and his players are in their best form of the season but will no doubt still have the 0-3 defeat in the opposite fixture at Ramat Hasharon earlier in the season in the back of their minds.

That disappointing result came during a run of bad form that saw them suffer three consecutive losses and ship ten goals in the process. They come into this match however after four consecutive victories, the last being the sweetest of all, a 1-0 derby win against Hapoel Tel Aviv, and a goal difference of 9-0. Their reward has been to see the gap between themselves and league leaders Maccabi Haifa diminish to seven points and a new optimism for the rest of the season. But to keep up the momentum they will have to defeat Hapoel Ramat Hasharon and that's easier said than done. Ranked eighth in the table with 29 points, Hasharon have been among the least consistent sides in the youth league and have caused troubles for most of the teams at the top of the table.

"Shachar"'s big brother, the senior Maccabi Tel Aviv side, will host Hapoel Ramat Hasharon at 6.45 P.M. at Bloomfield Stadium. Like their little brother, the senior squad is also coming into this match on the back of four consecutive league wins. To add a fifth they'll have to contend with a team whose coach and some players know Maccabi Tel Aviv from the inside. Goalkeeper Gal Nir, defender Kobi Moussa and midfielder Tom Mensharov will all try to surprise their former teammates while being coached by former Maccabi Tel Aviv legend , Benny Tabak. In the 1970's and 80's it was the same Benny Tabak who as a swift and deadly forward dominated the length and width of the Maccabi Tel Aviv pitch, earning himself the nickname "F-15".

And it was Tabak who stood on the touchline with the then head coach of Hapoel Ramat Hasharon Menachem Kurtsky in that memorable match between the two clubs when they first met earlier in the season. The dramatic encounter seemed to being going in Tabak's favour with Ramat Hasharon leading 3-1 at halftime, the hosts no doubt hoping they'd add a third victory in three meetings between the clubs in the short history since Ramat Hasharon was promoted to the Premiere League. But three second half goals, the last on 80 minutes by Maccabi striker Roberto Colautti, gave a dramatic victory to Maccabi Tel Aviv and left the Premiere league newcomers empty handed.

At 10.30 A.M. the youth teams will open their match, and by a little after 8.30 P.M. the senior squads of Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Ramat Hasharon will have finished theirs. Only then will we know if our beloved Maccabi Tel Aviv teams will be three points closer to their respective championships.

 

 

In good form and inspired by the first team's victory in the Derby last Monday, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" will be guests at Hapoel Tel Aviv this Saturday

If Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" coach Amir Turgeman's players watched Monday night's Derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv, they must surely have come away inspired. Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Team will be playing their second derby of the season against Hapoel Tel Aviv this Saturday at Wolfson training ground at 12 noon (broadcast on the Sport 5 channel). Apart from wishing to emulate their older club mates, the lads at "Shachar" will no doubt want to keep apace with league leaders Maccabi Haifa and put the loss in the last derby behind them. In round 5 of this season, after a good start of 10 points from their first four matches, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" hosted Hapoel Tel Aviv at Kiryat Shalom and to their dismay suffered their first defeat as they fell 2-0 victims at home to their city rivals from a brace from Hapoel's Amit Amzalag. The victory enabled Hapoel to close the gap between the two sides in the table to six points, where it has remained up to this point in the season.

Youth Premiere League Table

Despite the loss earlier this season, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" hold an overall edge in derby matches in recent seasons. In Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar"'s championship year last season the Yellows hosted Hapoel early on in the Tikva neighbourhood of Tel Aviv. After an early goal by the guests, Maccabi equalised when Gael Margulies leapt to head in a corner and the match finished in a 1-1 draw. The second derby came in round 17, with Turgeman's Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" still unbeaten and safe at the top of the table and no intention of letting their city rivals upset the applecart. Again the opposition drew first blood early on, but this time it was Maccabi's defence that came to the rescue. Mansour Amash and Gil Beton turned the score around to 2-1 and made the short trip back from Wolfson to Kiryat Shalom a happy one indeed: 13 wins in 17 matches. In the 2010/2011 season both derbies ended in the same result, 2-1, and both again in Maccabi's favour. Some of the stars of that season can now be seen treading the pitch with the first team, names like Moanes Dabbur, Dor Micha and Moshe Lugassi. Together with the rest of the Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" squad, they also encountered Hapoel on the road to winning the double, as they defeated them 2-0 in the last sixteen of the National Cup.

That brings Maccabi Tel Aviv Shachar's derby advantage over Hapoel Tel Aviv in the last two and a half years to 5-1, cup ties included. On top of that, Amir Turgeman's lads will be arriving at the Derby on the back of three consecutive league wins. But despite all the statistical advantages, the whole team know that what really counts is what happens on the pitch after the opening whistle at Wolfson. Everyone knows the rules, and no need to remind us about the Derby clichés. What remains to be seen is what will be after 90 minutes of football. And we're hoping for victory.

 

A dramatic last minute goal by substitute Lanre Kehinde handed Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" a prestigious and important derby win over Hapoel Tel Aviv

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" registered their fourth consecutive win, the latest a particularly sweet one in the derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv, with an 89th minute goal by substitute striker Lanre Kehinde sealing the 1-0 victory.  It was also their fourth consecutive clean sheet.  In the first derby of the season against their city rivals, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" suffered their first loss of the season. This time they not only returned the bragging rights to the Yellow half of the city but were handed the extra reward of seeing the gap at the top of the national Under-19 Premier League table reduced to seven points after Maccabi Haifa's draw with Beitar Jerusalem.

The game's first opportunity fell to Hapoel's Muhmad Zidane when after just a minute of play his clever strike hit the woodwork. Despite the wintry weather and the muddy pitch, Maccabi recovered and controlled play. Their best chances came from set pieces, and with ten minutes left in the half they came close to an opener when midfielder Sharon Zisso's saw his effort cleared off the line to striker Dor Jan, whose header hit the crossbar. At the halfwhistle though it remained 0-0.

In the second half both sides struggled to create opportunities and there were few threats on goal. In an effort to envigorate play, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" coach Amir Turgeman added more firepower to the side in the persons of Guy Cohen and Lanre Kehinde.  Maccabi pressed on with their attempts to surprise the Hapoel defence with set pieces but the breakthrough came from a quick run down the left a minute from time when defender Shaun Goldberg crossed to Lanre Kehinde who slotted home for what would prove to be a dramatic winning goal for Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar".  It was the 18 year-old Nigerian's second goal in as many weeks, the the first coming in last week's match against Hapoel Beer Sheva.

With league leaders Maccabi Haifa drawing 1-1 against Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" have now reduced the gap at the top of the table to seven points. Next week they'll be hosting Hapoel Ramat Hasharon and will be looking to close the gap even farther and stretch their run of wins to five.

Fixtures                                                                                                                                                                       

U19 Premier League table

Line-up:  Gal Tovli, Rotem Buskila, Osher Abu, Daniel Schwartzbaum,  Shaun Goldberg, Dor Buzaglo, Dor Peretz, Sharon Ziso, Guy Aviv, Dean Akafi, Dor Jan   

 

 

This week the Youth Division of Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club held educational activities to perpetuate the memory of the football players who played in "Liga Terezin" in the ghetto of Theresienstadt and died during the Holocaust

 

A third consecutive victory for MTA "Shachar" thanks to an own goal and a maiden one

This afternoon Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" registered their third consecutive league victory with a 2-0 win over Hapoel Beer Sheva. All three victories have been achieved with clean sheets, the last two by the margin of 3-0 against Hapoel Kfar Saba and Beitar Jerusalem respectively. The first time Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" met Hapoel Beer Sheva in the Negev they dropped their first points of the season after the match ended in a 1-1 draw. In today's home rematch the visitors were equally disinclined to let Maccabi have their way, but an own goal in the first half and a maiden goal from Maccabi's Lanre Kehinde close to final whistle handed  Maccabi's Under-19s the victory.

The opening stages of the match saw "Shachar" head coach Amir Turgeman's lads pressing to break through the visitors' defence. Almog Ohayon and Guy Aviv repeatedly broke down the flanks and crossed balls into the area that ultimately resulted in a goal ten minutes into the match. Beer Sheva defender Ben Algarbelli attempted to clear a cross from Guy Aviv intended for team-mate Dor Jan but instead turned it into his own net. Both of last week's goalscorers for Maccabi, Sharon Ziso and Guy Cohen, came close to increasing the lead in the first half but the 1-0 Maccabi advantage remained until halftime despite Beer Sheva's Sahar Shabtai effort at the other end just before the half-time whistle.

Just after the restart Sharon Ziso tested Beer Sheva keeper Raz Rahamim with a shot from outside the area but the tempo in the second half only increased after Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" made their substitutions. First Sagiv Yechezkel came close but not until two minutes from time did Maccabi find themselves 2-0 up when Nigerian striker Lanre Kehinde turned in a pass from Dean Akafi, his maiden league goal in only his second start in a yellow jersey. The last two minutes of the match passed without incident giving Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" all three points and preserving their second place in the table, nine points behind leaders Maccabi Haifa. Next Saturday the Under-19s will be at Wolfson training ground as guests in the Derby with city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Youth Premiere League table

Fixtures

Line-up: Gal Tovli, Rotem Buskila, Osher Abu, Daniel Shvarzboim, Shaun Goldberg, Yarden Pinto, Sharon Ziso, Guy Cohen, Guy Aviv, Almog Ohayon, Dor Jan