Matchday 9 of the Israel Youth Premier League Ligat Ha’Al featured Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv at Hapoel Beer Sheva at Wasermil Stadium. The young Yellow & Blue are in 10th place on the table while Beer Sheva are in 5th and winless in their last two matches. Head Coach Guy Tzarfati’s attack included Or Dasa, Eyal Hen and William Ageda.
Starting XI: Daniel Peretz, Noam Cohen, Alon Strosberg, Fadi Najar, Tomer Mahluf, Eden Kartzev, Eylon Almog, Prince Thomas, William Ageda, Or Dasa, Eyal Hen.
First Half
Beer Sheva had the opening chance of the contest in the 5’ when Tomer Yosefi’s free kick was parried away by Peretz for a corner, while two minutes later the Yellow & Blue had their first opportunity of the contest when the club’s new striker William Ageda’s attempt from the top of the box went over the goal.
In the 8’ Hen came down the left side and cut into the middle but his shot was taken care of by the Reds keeper as the next twenty minutes or so was played in the midfield without any chances by either side. Or Dasa tried to find the far corner of the goal from long distance in the 27’ but the keeper made the stop. Prince Thomas also took an attempt from outside the box but his shot went over the bar while three minutes later Thomas again tried to put the ball into the far corner but the keeper was up to the task as the half ended goalless.
Second Half
The second half opened with play primarily in the midfield, but in the 53’ Kartzev sent a through ball to Ageda on the right who in turn crossed it to Hen however, the Reds cleared it away from any danger. Oneminute later Beer Sheva’s dangerous corner found Noam Diai but his header went out.
In the 69’ Thomas made his way into the box but his shot went over the bar and in the 76’ Kartzev’s free kick also went over the goal. Two minutes later, Ageda sent a ball to Hen who was free in front of the goal but his attempt went over the bar by centimeters while in the 80’ Beer Sheva’s Itamar Shabiro went one in one with Peretz but the shot stopper made the save to keep his clean sheet intact.
As the match headed into the final minutes and a goalless draw loomed, Maccabi finally found the back of the goal via a 84’ penalty. Thomas crossed the ball into the box which hit the hand of a Beer Sheva defender good for a spot kick that Kartzev slotted home for a 1:0 lead. Three minutes later, the young Yellow & Blue almost doubled the score but Thomas’s chance was saved by the keeper’s fingertips and sent out for a corner. However, just as the contest was about to end, Shalata who had come on as a substitute, sent a cross to Hofmayster who scored from in close to give Tzarfati’s squad a tidy 2:0 win.
