Category: Youth Teams

Under-19’s on the cusp of the Championship

Posted on

With two Matchdays remaining in the Israel Youth Premier League Ligat Ha’Al, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Under-19 Team, Maccabi “Shachar” have almost secured the league title.

Guy Tzarfati’s Yellow & Blue defeated Hapoel Petah Tikva on Saturday and thanks to Maccabi Haifa’s 1:0 win over Hapoel Raanana today (Sunday) Maccabi now has a 6 point lead and a goal differential of 18 with just two matches left in the season.

The Under-19 side’s campaign began with a rough start collecting only 10 points in their first 8 matches good for 10th place. However, the turning point occurred when Maccabi played Hapoel Beer Sheva at Wassermil Stadium and went on a streak of 16 wins in their last 20 matches.

Week after week, the team climbed towards the top of the table thanks to victories over Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Raanana who battled the Yellow & Blue all season long. This coming Saturday Maccabi “Shachar” will visit Maccabi Petah Tikva at 16:30 and any result other than a defeat will officially hand the Championship to the Yellow & Blue for the 9th time in their history.

The Under-15 South Team are crowned Champions

Posted on

Maccabi “Eldad” Tel Aviv, the club’s Under-15 south team defeated Hapoel Beer Sheva on Matchday 29 to win the league championship. Ori David’s side entered the day in first place with a two point lead over second place Hapoel Sheva. The win over the southern reds pushed the lead atop the table to 5 points with one Matchday remaining as the league title made its way to Kiryat Shalom.

חגיגות אליפות של קבוצת נערים ג׳ דרום


The team has won 24 out of 29 matches with two draws and 3 losses whole scoring 119 goals, the most in the league while only conceding 23 (the least in the league). Elad Kaplan has 28 goals this season and leads the league while Oskar Glok has 24 markers.

Maccabi “Eldad” has scored in 28 of the 29 matches, had a streak of 5 games where they didn’t give up a goal and recorded 16 clean sheets over the course of the campaign.

Head Coach Ori David summed up the match and the season as a whole: “We came into the match after a disappointing week where we lost on penalties in the State Cup Semifinal and fell to Beitar Jerusalem in a league match that should we have won we would have secured the title. The main part of our preparation was on the mental he tactical side and the players came into the game ready to go. We played smart and responsible football and our philosophy helped us win the match. We were totally motivated and we took home the win and the championship!”

“The team had a tremendous season and played football at the highest of levels following the club’s philosophy while coach Nissim Davash did an excellent preparing the squad last season in order to get them ready for this campaign as my assistant Ben Kaplan and I continued the work from there. We scored the most goals in the league and we conceded the fewest. We were very organized both offensively and defensively. The season is about to end and I’m already looking forward to the opening of the next! It’s important for me to note that the team has been managed by a number of professionals from Ben Kaplan my amazing assistant, goalkeeper coach Eliezer Graf, Jordan Saada as well as Raymond Atteveld and Patrick van Leeuwen who was the x-factor for this squad.

Following two losses last week we were encouraged and received support from everyone at the club, coaches, analysts, medical staff and more as everyone came together as one department to help us in our quest.”

Top of the table: Maccabi “Shachar” defeats Hapoel Petah Tikva 1:0

Posted on

The club’s Under-19 side hosted Hapoel Petah Tikva on Matchday 28 of the Israel Youth Premier League as the young Yellow & Blue entered the contest in first place with a 3 point lead over Hapoel Raanana. The visitor’s came into the contest in second to last place and winless in their last five matches.

Head coach Guy Tzarfati’s Starting XI: Daniel Peretz, Noam Cohen, Alon Shtrozberg, Fadi Najar, Yoav Hofmayster, Amit Glazer, Tomer Altman, Prince Thomas, Mufleh Shalata, Eylon Almog and William Agada.

First Half
The Yellow & Blue began the match with tremendous pressure as Altman had the side’s first chance in the 3’ when his quality shot was saved by Adi Nasa the Petah Tikva keeper. Ten minutes later, Almog took the ball on the left wing and made his way to the middle of the box as the striker unleashed a scorcher but Nasa made the timely stop. In the 13’ Thomas sent the ball to Shalata on the right who sent a pinpoint perfect pass right to Agada’s head but the keeper was up to the task yet again to parry the ball away to safety.

A minute later Agada’s header from an Almog cross missed the target and in the 25’ Agada’s chance was again saved by a busy Nasa and sent out for a corner. Five minutes later Najar began the attack sent Thomas on his way who in turn passed the ball to Almog on the wing but his shot went wide.

In the 34’ Maccabi almost found their first goal of the match when Shalata sent the ball to Thomas in the middle of the pitch who gave and go with the former but Thomas’s opportunity was parried away by Nasa and the rebound was taken by the keeper off another chance by Agada as the half ended goalless.

Second Half
The half began just as the the first 45 minutes ended with Maccabi in complete control and in the 53’ they finally took a 1:0 lead as Almog crossed the ball from the left wing to Agada who beat the keeper for the one goal advantage. In the 71’ Shalata took a long range chance from the right side but Nasa came up with the ball as the Yellow & Blue looked to double the lead.

Peretz had to be alert a couple of minutes later as Tal Soares lifted the ball into the box to Olivier Boyse as the Maccabi keeper came up big making the timely save to stay in front. In the 78’ Hofmayster’s header went over the bar and just before the final whistle Eyal Hen who had come in as a substitute was stopped by Nasa as Maccabi wrapped up a 1:0 win and increased their lead atop the table to 6 points.

Israel U17 falls to England 2:1. Lugassi scores

Posted on

The Israel Under-17 team played their first match of the European Championship in Chesterfield and fell to the host country, England 2:1.

Five Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Department players are part of Head Coach Gady Brumer’s squad including Dan Lugassi and Ido Shahar who featured in the Starting Lineup as Rave Assayag made his debut in the 73’ for the Blue & White.

Israel fell behind 1:0 in the 29’ via a penalty but drew even on Dan Lugassi’s spot kick from 11 meters in the 41’. However, England found the winner in the 61’ to take home the victory.

The Blue & White will face Switzerland and Italy in Group A action later this week.

Dan Lugassi: “I’m proud to be part of the National Team”

Posted on

The Under-17 European Championships get underway this evening as Israel faces the host, England in their first match this evening at 21:00 of Group A play which also includes Italy and Switzerland. The Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Department has 5 representatives at the competition and we spoke to the U17 Yellow & Blue central defender Dan Lugassi just before the tournament kicks off.

“It’s a great feeling as we have gone on a terrific journey. I’m proud to be part of this talented National Team and the atmosphere is great. We’re all going to give our hearts on the pitch.”

Dan Lugassi (באדיבות איתן דותן, התאחדות לכדורגל)


Excitement surrounding the competition:
“I’m very excited as every player would like to be in this same position and have the opportunity to play against some of the best National Teams.”

Preparations:
“We’ve had some very intensive training sessions along with a number of conversations and talks with the professional staff. They are preparing us the best way possible for every match.”

The atmosphere within the team:
“The players are very close and we’re good friends. You can see that as well when we play each other in the league.”

Youth Department Action May 5, 2018

Posted on

Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Petah Tikva, 11:30 Ramle (U19)
The Under-19 squad will look to keep up their positive momentum when the host Hapoel Petah Tikva on Matchday 28 of the Israel Youth Football Premier League Ligat Ha’Al. The young Yellow & Blue enter the contest in first place with a 3-point lead over second place Hapoel Raanana. The visitor’s are in second to last place on the table and have gone winless over their last 5 matches.

Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv (U17)
The Under-17 team is on break until May 16th due to the Israel National Team participating in the European Championships. The side sent 5 representatives to the competition in England.

Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Ashkelon, 12:30 Kiryat Shalom Synthetic (U16)
After a week off, the Under-16 club gets back to action when they face Ashkelon on Matchday 28. Raymond Atteveld’s side are in first place due to a better goal differential than Beitar Jerusalem as they are level on points. The visitor’s are in 14th place with 6 straight losses.

Maccabi “Eldad” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Beer Sheva, 10:30 Kiryat Shalom Synthetic (U15 South)
The young Yellow & Blue Under-15 South will look to wrap up their league title with a win against second place Hapoel Beer Sheva who are two points behind Maccabi on the table.

Maccabi “Ilan” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Kfir Saba, 08:30 Kiryat Shalom Synthetic (U15 North)
The Under-15 North squad will welcome Hapoel Kfar Saba on Matchday 29 of league play. Maccabi “Ilan”are in 3rd place with 6 wins out of their last 7 matches while Kfir Saba are in 4th place with 4 wins in 5 contests.

5 Youth Department Representatives to feature at the U17 European Championship

Posted on

The Under-17 Israel National Team will head out to the prestigious European Championship Tournament that begins this Friday. 16 teams will be split up into 4 groups with the two best advancing to the quarterfinal round. Israel was drawn into Group A together with Italy, Switzerland and the host country England. The Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Department will have five representatives with the squad including, Dan Lugassi, Ido Shahar, Omri Ram, Nadav Nidam and Rave Assayag.

Group A Schedule:
Israel – England, Friday May 4, 21:00
Israel – Switzerland, Monday May 7, 14:30
Israel – Italy, Thursday May 10, 21:00

Groups:
Group B: Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden
Group C: Belgium, Bosnia, Denmark, Ireland
Group D: Germany, Holland, Serbia, Spain

The U12 & U11 teams come up short in State Cup Final action

Posted on

A pair of Youth Department teams both featured in their respective State Cup Finals at Ramat Gan Stadium on Monday evening. The Under-11 North side lost in a penalty shootout to Maccabi while the U12 squad fell to Maccabi Petah Tikva as the two Yellow & Blue clubs finished their respective tournaments in second place. Prior to the games, a special ceremony was held where former players were honored including Ron Nachman, Menashe Shamonov, Moshe Schweitzer and Vicki Peretz as they accompanied the teams onto the pitch.

The pitch was divided into two halves for the competition at this age as both sides featured 7 players plus a keeper for two 35 minute halves.

Maccabi Haifa – Maccabi Tel Aviv North
The Under-11 team came up short against Maccabi Haifa in a penalty shootout after falling behind in the match but came back to draw even at 2:2. The Greens took the lead in the overtime period but the Yellow & Blue were able to tie the contest up as the game went into spot kicks from 11 meters. Maccabi missed twice as the Yellow & Blue ended the tournament in 2nd place.

Maccabi Petah Tikva – Maccabi Tel Aviv
The Under-12 side lost to Maccabi Petah Tikva 4:3. The Yellow & Blue took a 1:0 lead but Petah Tikva came back to take a 3:1 advantage. However, Maccabi showed a lot of character and came back to draw even at 3:3 before giving up the winning goal via a set piece to Petah Tikva.

Yellow & Blue Saturday Results April 28, 2018

Posted on

שערי השבת במחלקת הנוער 28.4.18


Maccabi Netanya 1:3 Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv (U19)
The Under-19 side defeated Maccabi Netanya on Matchday 27 of the Israel Youth Premier League Ligat Ha’Al as Guy Tzarfati’s squad came back from a 1:0 deficit to pick up a 3:1 win. William Agada, Eylon Almog and Eyal Hen scored for the Yellow & Blue as they remain 3 points ahead of 2nd place Hapoel Raanana. For the Full Match Report Click Here.

Maccabi Netanya 1:5 Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv (U17)
After locking up the league title a couple of weeks ago, the Under-17 side also defeated Netanya on Matchday 27. The young Yellow & Blue increased their lead to 18 points atop the table with 3 games remaining. Rave Assayag scored a hat-trick while Dor Dego and Shaked Navon also scored. Head Coach Eliezer Ben Aharon summed up the win: “We played a very high quality game which was a pleasure to watch that was also very aggressive. Netanya scored in the opening minute due to our mistake. We got back into the contest and scored some gorgeous goals by the half and took the lead. We scored another goal at the beginning of the second half which for all intents and purposes finished off the game as Netanya stopped believing and then we scored two more goals. People are asking us what are we playing for at this point? You won the championship so where is the motivation coming from? Our answer is that we are trying to turn the season into something extra special. Our lead is sitting at 18 points from second place Maccabi Haifa. We want to continue on. We are now going on a National Team break and will return to play on May 16th against Kiryat Shemona and our goal will be to continue to play quality football. I want to wish good luck to the National Team players who are heading to the tournament in England. We have 5 players who will be representing Israel.”

Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv (U16)
Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv are on break. Next week they’ll return to action when they welcome Hapoel Ashkelon. With 3 matches left, the U16 side are in first place thanks to a better goal differential over Beitar Jerusalem.

Maccabi “Eldad” Tel Aviv 4:0 Beitar Jerusalem
The Under-15 South team fell to Jerusalem at home on Matchday 28. The Yellow & Blue are in first place but their lead was cut to only 2 points. Next week, Ori David’s side will host Hapoel Beer Sheva in a Match of the Season that may determine the league champion.

Hapoel Tel Aviv North 0:4 Maccabi “Ilan” Tel Aviv
After advancing to the State Cup Final, the Under-15 North squad took care of Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Derby on Matchday 28. The Yellow & Blue are in 3rd place with 6 wins out of their last 7 games. Or Roizman, Nair Amda, Yonatan Paz and Ben Lineker scored for Asaf Heber’s side who said following the contest: “After advancing to the State Cup Final we had to face Hapoel Tel Aviv and there’s nothing like a Derby to keep the motivation high. We began the match very well and we scored an early goal. We controlled the pace of play for the most part and we scored three more goals later on in the contest.”