Their Songs: A playlist in eternal memory

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 ...

Maccabi Tel Aviv's U16s beat Maccabi Haifa Nahalal 2-5. The U17s finished in a draw

After the Under-19s kicked off the 2014/15 Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division season last weekend, they were joined this week by the Under-17s and Under-16s. Mid-week the Under-16s closed matchweek 1 of the nationwide U16 League South with their first victory of the season against FC Matnas Gan Yavne . Yesterday (Saturday), in matchweek 2, head coach Shlomi Mitelka's lads made it two on the trot with a2-5 away win against Maccabi Haifa Nahalal. Yarin Sharavi, Neil Goldberg (U19 defender Sean's younger brother) and Guy Dahan all scored before the interval, Eden Kratzev and Ofek Balas added in the second half.

The Under-17s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded", opened their 2014/15 season at home against Maccabi Petach Tikva. Head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's charges were unsuccessful in breaking through the hosts' defences and finished matchweek 1 of the national U17 Premier League in a goalless draw. In matchweek 2 next week, "Oded" will make the short trip to municipal neighbours Bnei Yehuda in search of their first victory of the new season.

With the exception of the Under-10s, who begin playing on November 22^nd, all the rest of the Maccabi Youth Division teams will kick off their seasons in October, with the Under-15s scheduled for October 11^th and the rest on October 25^th.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's U16s beat Maccabi Haifa Nahalal 2-5. The U17s finished ...

Six Maccabi Under-17 stars were capped for the national side for the prestigious "Four Nations" tournament in Germany

Only days after six Maccabi U19 players featured in the national side that reached the finals of the prestigious international Chela tournament in Serbia, the same number of U17s capped for their country ended a similar tournament in Germany. Bar Galili, Roy Ronen, Eylon Almog, Tomer Altman, Shay Golan and goalkeeper Haviv Ohayon were all called up for Israel's Under-17s for the prestigious "Four Nations" tournament in Germany, in the run-up to the qualifying rounds of the Under-17 European championships.

Israel began the tournament with a goalless draw against their Under-17 counterparts from Italy. Roy Ronen, Tomer Altman, Shay Golan and goalkeeper Haviv Ohayon were all included in the first eleven, Eylon Almog came in off the bench. In their second match Israel lost by a single goal to Holland with all six of Maccabi's Under-17s in on the action and only one, Eylon Almog, as a substitute. The final encounter of the tournament was with eventual winners Germany, and the result was 4-0 in the hosts' favour. Bar Galili, Roy Ronen, Tomer Altman and Shay Golan were all in head coach Alon Hazan's starting eleven, with Eylon Almog once again coming in off the bench.

In approximately one month's time, Israel's national Under-17s will begin their qualifying matches for the European championships, joined in their group by their compatriots from Croatia, Hungary and Kazakhstan.

Six Maccabi Under-17 stars were capped for the national side for the ...

MTA's U-17s are Preparing for the new season at a training camp in germany

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s are currently training in the town of Hennef, Germany, preparing for the new season. Last season, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" won an impressive league and Cup double, winning the championship twelve points ahead of their closest rivals and claiming the coveted State Cup with a 4-0 victory over Hapoel Petach Tikva. This season the contours of the Under-17 squad consist of last year's Under-15s, who also won last year's league championship and were only denied their own league and Cup double by time added on in the U15 State Cup finals.

In the games played in the training camp thus far, Maccabi Tel Aviv's U-17s have already overcome the B side of Bundesliga stalwarts Borussia Mönchengladbach. Their most impressive victory was achieved yesterday, against the Under-17s of another Bundesliga side, Bayer Leverkusen. Two players who stood out in last year's Under-15 team, defender Guy Aviv and midfielder Matan Hozez, provided the goals (Aviv a brace) and helped their team score a 3-2 victory.  Under the watchful eyes of head coach Ziv Arie and his assistant Eran Golan, "Oded" will play another match at training camp before returning to Israel at the end of the week. The nationwide U-17 League South will get underway on September 1st, with Maccabi Tel Aviv playing a difficult away game against Hapoel Be'er Sheva.

MTA's U-17s are Preparing for the new season at a training camp ...

Along with Maccabi's U19s, the club's U17s and U16s also kicked off their 2012/13 season

Last season, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s dominated football in their age group with a highly impressive league and cup double, and their new season has already got off to an encouraging start. Head coach Ziv Arie's charges began their campaign away against one of last season's most persistent rivals, Hapoel Beer Sheva, but made light work of them in a 0-7 rout. Yonatan Cohen, who netted 39 last season for the U16s, opened his season 2012/13 account with a goal, while Guy Aviv, also one of last season's U16 stars, contributed a brace. Raz Itzhak provided a further effort but the rest was the result of a hat-trick by recent arrival from Nesher FC, Sohil Armeli. Next week the Under-17s will welcome their counterparts from Hapoel Rishon Lezion.

A second of MTA's Youth Division champions last season, the Under-16s, also kicked off their 2102/13 campaign today, but with a far less encouraging result. Playing away to Maccabi Petach Tikva, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" conceded goals on either side of the half without scoring themselves and finished at the losing end of a 2-0 scoreline. Next week the Under-16s will have the opportunity to get back on track as they take on municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv for an early season derby.   

Along with Maccabi's U19s, the club's U17s and U16s also kicked off ...