Ben Hemo: “Happy to help the club, it is a part of me”

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s continued their winning ways on a Saturday on which only the matches for the Under-16s and older were played

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s hosted HaKoach Maccabi Amidar Ramat Gan in the tenth matchweek of the national Under-17 Premier League South.  The Maccabi youths registered their sixth consecutive league victory by a score of 5-0, each goal  scored by a different player.  Matan Hozaz continued his good run of form with his fifth goal in the last six league and Cup games.  Maxim Gerchkin contributed his second goal in as many matches, Yonatan Cohen scored his fourth goal of the season, Suheil Armeli his eighth (league and Cup) and Eliel Peretz added his second goal of the season.

The club's Under-16s played at the Kiryat Shalom training ground this Saturday also looking for a sixth consecutive league win, but Bnei Yehuda frustrated that effort by beating them 1-2. The loss marked the Under-16s first loss since the opening week of the current season.  Raz Itzhak scored the only goal for Maccabi, his tenth goal of the season in all competitions as an Under-16 player. Itzhak has scored one goal for the Under-17s as well.

The only Youth Division draw of the week-end was played out by the Under 16 Team 2, whose game against Hapoel Ramat Gan ended goalless. The best result came from the Under-16s who beat Hapoel Kiryat Ono at Kiryat Shalom by the convincing margin of 9-0.  All of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division ties scheduled for the Under-15s and younger were cancelled due to soggy pitches, the result of the rainy weather this week-end.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s continued their winning ways on a Saturday on ...

Maccabi's U17s continued their good season-opening form with a home win against Nesher FC

After opening the current season with a draw, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" registered their sixth consecutive victory, trouncing their counterparts from Nesher FC 9-0 at home at the Kiryat Shalom training ground in matchweek 7 of the national U17 Premier league. Ofri Mashta and Ittimar Shaviro each bagged a brace, while Ori Salomon, Almog Eylon, Tomer Altman, Guy Shetach and Nadav Amram contributed the remaining five. The victory sent head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's side to the top of the table, with fellow pacesetters Maccabi Haifa awaiting them on Saturday.

A week earlier the Under-17s played their game in hand from matchweek 5 and beat Hapoel Haifa by a nearly as impressive score of 6-1, with six different players scoring the goals: Almog Eylon, Roy Ronen, Bar Galili, Omer Lakao, Tomer Altman and Ittimar Shaviro. With seven matches played in the 2014/15 season, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" have scored 26 goals, the total spread quite evenly among the squad. Roy Ronen leads the pack with five, but Ittimar Shaviro follows close behind at four while Ofri Mashta and Tomer Altman have netted three goals each. 

Maccabi's U17s continued their good season-opening form with a home win against ...

This season's outstanding players so far can be found in all age groups of the Maccabi Youth Division, including a set of very exceptional twins

In a growing tradition that began last year, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division honour their outstanding players by selecting three of them to hand to the referee the match ball at each home game of the senior team at Bloomfield Stadium. The three are chosen by virtue of their excellence on and off the pitch, not only in their footballing skills but also in their academic achievements, in their behaviour and in their sense of fair play.

Last month at the senior team's opening league match against Hapoel Ra'anana the first of this season's honours were bestowed. Two of the winners were actually twins, Tamir and Amit Glazer from Maccabi's Under-15 Team North, both of whom are the younger brothers of Under-19 captain Dan Glazer. Also honoured were Noam Cohen from the club's Under-16s, Leo Benbenisti from Under-11 Team South and Or Kastiel from Under-13 Team North.

This season's outstanding players so far can be found in all age ...

The club's older Youth Division teams recorded narrow victories while Maccabi's two Under-13 sides faced off in an intra-club derby

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" travelled to Ashdod FC on Saturday for matchweek 6 of the national U17 Premier League and returned with three points that kept them near the top of the table. Despite the gap between the clubs in that table, it was no stroll in the park for Maccabi's Under-17s. The home side scored first just after the break and held on to their lead until the 64th minute when Ofri Mashta scored for the visitors. Maccabi finally turned the match around courtesy of a maiden season goal by Ittimar Shaviro, who handed head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's squad a hard-fought and important three points.

Maccabi's Under-16s also faced tough opposition away on Saturday but they too came away with all three points. A single Prince Thomas goal two minutes from the break spelt victory for Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" at Section Nes Tziona as they maintained their perfect start of the season through their first seven league outings.

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", the club's Under-15 Team 1, were also on the road on Saturday and like their older counterparts returned home with a narrow victory, in their case earned in dramatic fashion. Head coach Eyal Tzachi's lads had gone in front ten minutes after the break courtesy of Tal Daon but let the advantage slip in injury time. Fortunately for Maccabi enough time remained for them to find a winner, provided by Bar Levi, and translate their 1-2 victory into three invaluable points. Far less dramatic, but no less impressive, was Team 2's 5-1 victory over Hapoel Petach Tikva. Star performer was Eyal Chen who netted four of the teams goals, with Yam Ben Yehuda adding the fifth.

Maccabi's Under-14 Team South also registered a home win at Kiryat Shalom training ground, beating Hapoel Kiryat Ono 3-0. Gil Ben Shlush, David Degu and Roy Benvenisti all scored for head coach Ori David's side. Team North lost away 3-1 to Beitar Tubruk, with Yehonatan Izen scoring the visitor's only goal. In the nationwide U13 League Central District Maccabi's North and South teams squared off against one another for an intra-club derby, which Team South won 5-2.

The club's older Youth Division teams recorded narrow victories while Maccabi's two ...

This Saturday will see Maccabi's U19s host Maccabi Netanya and the first Youth Division derby of the 2015 season

After having dropped points for the first time this season last week at Hapoel Ra'anana, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" will attempt to return to winning ways when they host their Under-19 counterparts from Maccabi Netanya at Kiryat Shalom training ground in matchweek 7 of the national U19 Premier league. The match will begin at noon and be broadcast live on Israeli channel 55. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded", the club's Under-17s, will also be out to carry on their early season good form when they visit Ashdod FC at 9am. The Under-16s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs", will hope to extend their run of victories to seven from seven at Section Nes Tsiona at 10.30am.

Maccabi's Under-15 Team 1 will also be out to maintain their winning run with an away tie at Reiser Stadium against Hapoel Beer Sheva at 10.30am. After drawing last week against Maccabi Netanya, Team 2 will take to the artificial pitch at Kiryat Shalom to host their Hapoel Beer Sheva counterparts at 8.30am. Maccabi's Under-14 Team South will also host on the artificial pitch when Hapoel Kiryat Ono come to visit and Team North will head out to face Beitar Tubruk at 8.30am. Matchweek 2 of the Under-13 season will see two of Maccabi's Youth Division sides, Team South and Team North, face off against one another on the artificial pitch at Kiryat Shalom.

This Saturday will see Maccabi's U19s host Maccabi Netanya and the first ...

Maccabi's younger Youth Division teams got off to good season starts, the U16s won 5-3

Apart from the Under-17s, who had the weekend off, and the Under-10s, whose league season has yet to start, all of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division teams were in action at the weekend. As reported elsewhere, the Under-19s had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hapoel Ra'anana, but for Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" the weekend produced a more tantalising result. Out to win their sixth consecutive league fixture since the start of the season, head coach Shlomi Mitelka's Under-16s succeeded as they came from behind to defeat municipal neighbours Bnei Yehuda 5-3 at the Kiryat Shalom training ground. The visitors got off to the better start and led 1-2 at half time, but after the restart the home side staged an impressive comeback, scoring four times to go in front 5-2 before Bnei Yehuda pulled one back late in the match.  Maccabi's five goals were scored by five different players: Prince Thomas, Neil Goldberg, Nadav Reuveny, Eylon Almog and Eden Kartsev.

Also looking to continue their perfect start to the season were the club's Under 15 Team 1, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad". They hosted Hapoel Jerusalem in matchweek 3 of the nationwide U15 League Central District and made it three out of three with a 3-1 win. Adir Hardon, Tal Daon and Or Biran provided the goals for head coach Eyal Tzachi's side, who conceded only the one goal late in the match. Team 2 played away at Maccabi Netanya and shared the points after a dramatic 2-2 draw. All the scoring came in the second half, with Eyal Chen accounting for both of Maccabi's goals, the second in the game's final minute.

For the first time this weekend most of Maccabi Tel Aviv's younger youth teams joined their older counterparts in 2014/15 league competition, and the results were encouraging, to say the least. The Under-14 Team North opened with a 4-0 home victory over Maccabi Haifa/Nahalal, with a brace from Asaf Hershko and individual goals from Yuval Ben-Ami and Idan Rozenfeld. Team South travelled to Ironi Hod Hasharon and booked a handsome 0-3 win, courtesy of goals from Yoav Lang, David Degu and Nadav Niddam. Maccabi's Under-13 Team North also played away and earned their three points in a convincing 0-6 triumph. Maccabi's winning weekend was rounded off by the club's Under-13 Team South, who beat Hapoel Kiryat Ono at home 3-0.

Maccabi's younger Youth Division teams got off to good season starts, the ...

Maccabi's U16s make it six wins out of six, the U15 Team 2 settle for a dramatic draw

After Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19s won their fifth consecutive league match on Saturday morning, the club's Under-16s did them one better, and in style.  Head coach Shlomi Mitelka's Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" travelled to the nation's capital where they rolled over Hapoel Jerusalem 0-7 for their sixth straight league victory, with just two players sharing in the goalscoring honours. Eylon Almog, who in recent weeks has also done duty for the club's Under-17s, scored four of "Eli Fuchs"'s goals while Guy Dahan added a hat-trick of his own, bringing his season total to eight. The win leaves "Eli Fuchs" atop of the nationwide U16 League South with a spectacular goal difference of 41 scored to just 2 conceded.

The match between Maccabi's Under-17s and Hapoel Haifa was postponed till the beginning of November, but the club's Under-15 Team 1, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", were in action for the second time this season in the nationwide U15 League Central District. Head coach Eyal Tzachi's charges hosted municipal neighbours Bnei Yehuda at the Kiryat Shalom training ground and won handsomely 4-0, with goals from Edan Tzioni, Raz Hadar, Tal Daon and Leon Gardashov. The Under-15 Team 2 also played their second match in the nationwide U15 League Sharon District, an away tie against Hapoel Acre. In an exciting first half both sides scored twice, with Eyal Chen and Tamir Glazer netting goals for the visitors. The contest was still deadlocked until the closing moments when Shay Yorev put Maccabi in the lead, only to see the home side equalise in the very last play of the match to divide the points between the two teams.

Maccabi's U16s make it six wins out of six, the U15 Team ...

Wins for all four of Maccabi's youth teams, with the U16s maintaining their perfect record

After a handsome 0-3 mid-week derby win against archrivals Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s made it two in a row with a second 0-3 victory, this time against Hapoel Beer Sheva at their Reiser Stadium on matchday 4 of the national U17 Premier League. The first half was goalless but with the start of the second half, Maccabi striker Roy Ronen sprang into action and scored a fifteen-minute hat-trick to hand his side, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded", their third victory in their opening four matches of the season. Head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's side, who have yet to concede a goal, are now second in the table and will prepare to defend that position at home on matchday 5 against Hapoel Haifa.

The club's Under-16s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs", also extended their run of good early season form by recording their fourth consecutive victory. Their opponents in matchday 4 were Ironi Rishon Lezion, and head coach Shlomi Mitelka's lads made impressive work of it, hammering five goals past the opposition without conceding in the process. Guy Dahan scored a hat-trick, Eden Karatzev and Yarin Sharavi added individual efforts, with all the goals coming in the first half. "Eli Fuchs" are now the only team in the nationwide U16 League South to have maintained a perfect record through their first four league matches, and they'll be hoping to extend that record on matchday 5 when they host Maccabi Shoham.

Yesterday also marked the start of the 2014/15 Under-15 season and for both Maccabi Tel Aviv teams it was smiles all around as both recorded important wins. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad" returned from a visit to Ironi Ramat Hasharon with a 1-3 victory, with Adir Hardon, Raz Hadar and Rotem Ziv all finding the net in the first half before their opponents pulled one back after the break. Maccabi's Under-15 Team 2 also won by a similar scoreline, in their case at home at the Kiryat Shalom training ground against Hapoel Ra'anana. Amit Glazer opened the scoring for the home side, Omer Barami doubled Maccabi's advantage before the visitors pulled one back before the interval. Head coach Erez Belfer's charges signed off on the 3-1 victory with a splendid long-rage effort by Roy de Callo in the second half.

Wins for all four of Maccabi's youth teams, with the U16s maintaining ...

A festive evening of youth football at Bloomfield Stadium opened with an easy derby win for Maccabi's U17s

A special evening at Bloomfield Stadium devoted to Tel Aviv youth derby matches kicked off with a handsome win for Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" over their counterparts from municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv. This was "Oded"'s third game of the 2014/15 national U17 Premier League season, after having first drawn with Maccabi Petach Tikva and beaten Bnei Yehuda in their first two matches. But head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's squad looked very much at home on the stage of the senior squad and opened the match in positive fashion. With just six minutes on the clock a wayward back-pass by the Hapoel defence at the edge of their own area was picked off by Maccabi striker Omer Lakao and sliced past the keeper to hand "Oded" an early 0-1 advantage. Maccabi continued to press to widen the margin, but the first half ended without any further goals being scored.

The second half saw "Oded" open brightly and three minutes after the restart striker Roy Ronen came close, followed by a long-range effort by midfielder Shay Golan that sailed past the post. On the hour mark Golan made amends after taking a short pass from fellow midfielder Amit Shapira outside the area and letting fly with a perfectly aimed shot into the upper right-hand corner of the Hapoel net to double Maccabi's advantage. Moments later at the other end Hapoel's Itay Moreno tried to get his side back into the contest but shot over onrushing Maccabi keeper Haviv Ohayon. Towards the end of the match "Oded" striker Itamar Shaviro nearly added to Maccabi's lead but in the end it was substitute defender Nadav Amran who in injury time signed off on the 0-3 win. A poor Hapoel clearance of a Guy Shetach corner kick handed the ball back to the midfielder and his subsequent cross into the five-yard box found Amran unmarked at the far post to head in for Maccabi's third just as the referee's whistle signalled the end of the match, to the delight of the team and the Maccabi fans who came to see them.

Matchday 4 will take place this Saturday when Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" head south to face Hapoel Beer Sheva.

A festive evening of youth football at Bloomfield Stadium opened with an ...

Matchweek 2 of the new Maccabi Youth Division season saw both the U17s and U16s book wins. The home U19 and U17 derby matches will be at played at Bloomfield

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded", who opened the 2014/15 national U17 Premier League season last week with a goalless draw, recorded their first victory of the new year after cruising to a 0-3 win at municipal neighbours Bnei Yehuda. Roy Ronen opened the scoring after only four minutes and Or Dassa followed suit just sixteen minutes later to give head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's lads a two-goal cushion going into the break. Five minutes after the restart Tomer Altman finished off the scoring for Maccabi, whose good defending kept the opposition at bay for a 0-3 result. In matchweek 3 "Oded" will take their four points from two outings to host municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv for the first derby of the new season on Tuesday October 7th. That match, as well as the Under-19 derby later the same day, will be held at Bloomfield Stadium after the two clubs reached an agreement with the Tel Aviv municipality sports department to hold the respective derbies at the senior team venues.

For the Under-16s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs", Saturday was their third encounter of the season, and also their third triumph. Guests at the Kiryat Shalom training ground were Hapoel Ramat Gan and a single goal by Desalin Balacho, who finished as last season's U15 top scorer with 32 goals in all competitions, decided in favour of head coach Shlomi Mitelka's home side in a contest that ended 1-0. With the full nine points from their first three outings, "Eli Fuchs" remain the only team in the nationwide U16 League South with a perfect record.

Almost all of the remaining Youth Division teams will open their seasons in the course of next month, with the Under-15 starting on October 11th and the remaining teams on October 25^th. The only exception are the Under-10s, who begin on November 22^nd.  

Matchweek 2 of the new Maccabi Youth Division season saw both the ...