Deila ahead of Hapoel Haifa

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s made a good start to their campaign in the "Champion of Champions" competition, the Under 15s extended their run of league wins

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s opened their campaign in the "Champion of Champions" competition with a narrow but important 1-0 victory over Hapoel Haifa.  The competition pits the top three clubs of the National Northern and Southern leagues against one another to determine the National Under 17 champion, with each side playing three matches, one against each of the three teams in the opposing league. Maccabi's tie against Hapoel Haifa opened the tournament and midfielder Jonatan Cohen scored Maccabi's only goal in the dying moments of the match to hand them their first three points. Next Saturday they will play Bnei Sakhnin, with their third and final match being against Maccabi Haifa, to whom they lost in the semi-finals of the Under 17s National Cup.

 Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 16s will begin their campaign in the "Champion of Champions" competition next week and were given a good opportunity to prepare themselves this Saturday by participating in a friendly competition along with Ashdod FC, Hapoel Rishon Lezion and Hapoel Ramat Gan. Head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's lads won the competition after defeating Hapoel Rishon Lezion in the final after a penalty shoot-out. Maccabi goalkeeper Lior Carney was named outstanding performer of the competition. Maccabi's Under 15s had two remaining matches to the season and on Saturday beat Hapoel Jerusalem 1-0 to stay just five points off the top of their league table. Roy Ronen's 27^th goal of the season in all competitions decided the match. Maccabi's Under 15 Team Two continued their run of good form to approach the end of the season on the right foot with their ninth consecutive league victory, a 2-1 win over Bnei Eilat. Goal scorers were Matan Cohen and Tal Sandrovitch.

Maccabi's Under 14 Team South have three more games to play in their season and this Saturday posted a convincing 4-1 victory over Bnei Yehuda to stay eight points off the pace. Team North lost 1-2 at home to strong side Hapoel Kiryat Ono. Maccabi's Under 13 Team South lost a derby at home by an identical scoreline to Hapoel Tel Aviv but Team North won impressively against Ironi Modi'in by a score of 5-1.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s made a good start to their campaign ...

Maccabi Tel Aviv's annual traditional Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony was held for Youth Team players at Sports Club Kfar Maccabiah

Yesterday two of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 13 teams whose players were born in the year 2000 celebrated their traditional Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony at Sports Club Kfar Maccabiah in Ramat Gan. As every year, these 13 year-olds in the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club Youth System, under the able stewardship of coaches Doron Muktari and Menni Yasso (South Team) and Adi Somech and Ittimar Koren (North Team), were treated to a unique and emotional experience which included last month's special trip to the Wailing Wall.

In attendance at this additional ceremony at Sports Club Kfar Maccabiah was the owner of Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club, Mitch Goldhar. Together with Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Department Football Director, Nir Levin, Goldhar congratulated the clearly excited Maccabi lads on their Bar Mitzvah. The high point of the afternoon was a highly entertaining performance by a magician in which the youngsters were able to play an active part. After the congratulations and the performance the young players all received Bar Mitzvah presents and watched a film specially prepared for their special Bar Mitzvah experience. 

Maccabi Tel Aviv's annual traditional Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony was held for Youth ...

A disappointing exit for Maccabi's Under 17s in the semi-finals of the Youth Team National Cup competition after losing to Maccabi Haifa 2-0

Despite being crowned champions of the National Under 17 League South, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" will not be achieving the coveted double this season after losing their semi-final Youth Team National Cup tie to Maccabi Haifa 2-0 at the Moshava Stadium in Petah Tikva. Up till now their path to Cup glory had been relatively smooth: Shimshon Tel Aviv, Gadna Tel Aviv, Maccabi Petah Tikva and Bnei Sakhnin had all been treated to a total of 17 Maccabi goals to not a single reply. Today was a different story altogether as head coach Ziv Arie's chargess ran up against Maccabi Haifa, champions of the National Under 17 League North.

Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded"'s attack was led by striking duo Guy Aviv and Sohil Armeli up front with midfielders Matan Hozaz and Yonatan Cohen behind them in support, between them having manufactured 69 goals for Maccabi's Under 17s this season alone. And Armeli it was who had Maccabi's best opportunity of the first half when he found himself on his own face to face with Maccabi Haifa goalkeeper Moyan Halabi. Unfortunately the latter proved up to the challenge and swept Armeli's effort aside. At the other end the Maccabi Haifa youngsters also left a number of chances on goal go begging and at the break the match was still scoreless.

After the restart the game's energetic pace continued but unfortunately for the Yellow side of the pitch it was Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" who found themselves fishing balls out of their own net. Goals by Maccabi Haifa's Eran Biton and Or Iluz settled the scoring in this semi-final match in Haifa's favour and sent their side into the Cup final against Hapoel Tel Aviv. For Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" all eyes will now be focused on the "Champion of Champions" competition that pits the top three clubs of the Northern and Southern leagues against one another to determine the national champion. There once again they will meet their green-clad rivals from the north with the opportunity of evening the score.

A disappointing exit for Maccabi's Under 17s in the semi-finals ...

On Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s, just last week crowned league champions, notched up yet another victory. Almost all the other MTA Youth Division teams followed suit

Just four days after winning the championship, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s made it victory number 22 out of 23 league matches by beating Hakoach Ramat Gan away by a score of 2-4. Midfielder Matan Hozaz's third brace in as many matches, 16 league goals in all, was joined by individual efforts by defender Omer Priov and Adna Straga (his first of the season) to lead coaches Ziv Arie and Avi Yechiel's side to victory. The Under 17s have just three more matches to play in the regulation season of the National U17 Southern League before the start of the "Champion of Champions" competition that determines this season's overall national Under 17 champion.

Maccabi's Under 16s, another Youth Division team to celebrate a title last week (Youth National Cup), continued their winning ways in the league with an 8-0 home triumph at Kiryat Shalom training grounds against FC Beer Sheva. This left head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's side in the fourth spot in the table, seven points off the pace. Hadar Levi and Roy Tsarom both scored braces, while individual goals from Joseph Ganda, Raz Yitschak, Daniel Fischer and Amit Rosenbaum all contributed to a victory that leaves them with a theoretical chance at least of winning the championship.

Three days after their dramatic and disappointing loss in the National Cup final, Maccabi's Under 15s returned to Kiryat Shalom and league duty with a 4-1 victory over Hapoel Rishon Lezion. The win keeps them in second place in the league, eight points from the top with six more games to play this season. Roy Ronen opened the scoring with his 22^nd goal this season in all competitions, with Shai Golan, Ron Gabai and Djee Djee Darsilia adding on. Maccabi's Under 15 team 2 also won handsomely, 5-1 against Beitar Jerusalem, to stay fourth in the table. Or Dessa and Lenni Aharon scored braces each and Tal Sandrovitz added the fifth.

On Saturday another Maccabi Youth Division team to have won the National Cup, the Under 14 South team, added a league win to their credit, beating Hapoel Beer Sheva 4-0 and climbing to fourth place in the table just four points off the pace. The Under 14 North team drew 1-1 away at Section Nes Tsiona. Maccabi's two Under 13 teams in the Central League both won, South beating fellow league high flyers Hapoel Rishon Lezion 2-1 and North winning 3-1 against Gadna Tel Aviv.

On Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s, just last week ...

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division harvested their fourth trophy of the season after the Under 16s comprehensively beat Maccabi Haifa in the finals of the Youth National Cup. The Under 15s were not so lucky

Youth teams from Maccabi Tel Aviv participated in two finals of the Youth National Cup Competition yesterday at the new and handsome grounds at "Beit Hanivcharim" in Shfayim near Tel Aviv. In both cases the rivals were Maccabi Haifa and first up were the Under 16s who, after the Under 14s, Under 12s and the Under 10s, became the fourth team this season from Maccabi's Youth Division to raise a youth team National IFA Cup. Though still trailing in their league for the championship, Maccabi's Under 16s left in absolutely no doubt their extraordinary abilities in the Cup competition by beating their Maccabi Haifa rivals by a convincing 3-0 margin.

From the opening whistle head coach Eliezer Ben Aharon's lads pressed forward and threatened the Haifa goal, pressure that paid off just seven minutes after kickoff. After seeing two attempts in the area saved, it was third time a charm for Omri Haremetti who shot past the opposition keeper to put Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" 1-0 ahead. And at the half hour mark, after other MTA efforts had hit the woodwork, captain Elon Yerushalmi curled a shot into the upper corner of the Haifa net to double the advantage at 2-0.

After the restart Maccabi Haifa tried to get back into the match and hit the woodwork a number of times themselves, but in the end it was the yellow half of this Maccabi encounter that got on the scoreboard. Raz Yitschak rounded the Haifa keeper and dinked into the net his 18^th goal of the season in all competitions to round off the scoring at 3-0 and hand Maccabi Tel Aviv Under 16s their first silverware of the season. Moments after the final whistle captain Elon Yerushalmi was raising the Cup at Shfayim to start the celebrations of a fourth Youth National Cup for the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division.  On Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 16s will return to league duty with a view to narrowing the eight point advantage held by National U16 South League leaders Maccabi Petah Tikva.

In the second final of the day, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 15s also faced their green Maccabi nemesis from Haifa. Unfortunately for Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", the smiles at the end of this final were all green. Five minutes into the match things were looking considerably more yellow, as MTA's Ofri Mashata found the net to put Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad" in front at 1-0. And head coach Shlomi Mitelka's lads continued to threaten the opposition goal in the first half but unfortunately without converting any of the chances that came their way.

Five minutes from the restart Maccabi Haifa were already on the scoreboard after Omer Sadeh found the net and levelled the match at 1-1, a score that carried the match into 20 minutes of extra time after the regulation 80 minutes saw no further alterations. Unfortunately, Maccabi's Under 15s were on the wrong end of a drama that peaked at the last play of the game, just as a penalty shoot-out seemed inevitable. In a move that saw the Cup slip away from them, a disappointed Maccabi Tel Aviv let Omer Sadeh head in a cross to give Maccabi Haifa a 2-1 win and the right to raise the Under 15 Youth National Cup trophy.    

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division harvested their fourth trophy of the season ...

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s are now the official champions of the Southern National Under 17 League after a 1-5 victory over Hapoel Ra'anana

With four games still to play till the end of the league season, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s have secured the championship of the Southern National Under 17 League in a match that from the very start left no room for doubt which would be the winning side. Maccabi won their game in hand at Hapoel Ra'anana 1-5 with three of the five goals on the scoreboard with just 20 minutes showing on the clock courtesy of striker Guy Aviv, midfielder Matan Hozaz (his sixth in his last eight matches) and striker Sohil Armeli (his 16^th league goal this season). The hosts pulled one back just after the restart but Hozaz completed his brace and midfielder Yossi Solelich added the final touch to an impressive victory that seals the league championship for Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad".

A glance at the impressive statistics of Maccabi's Under 17s tells the whole story of their securing the championship with four games still to play: 21 victories in 22 matches, 63 of a possible 66 points. As befits a champion, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad" also have the best offence and defence in the league, and by a very wide margin: 83 goals scored to just 8 conceded.

Nonetheless, Maccabi's Under 17s still have two important goals to achieve this season. The end of season for the two national U17 leagues, North and South, marks the start of the "Champion of Champions" competition, which pits the top three clubs of the North against those of the South in three rounds that determine this season's overall national Under 17 champion. And on the 23^rd of April Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad' will play their semi-final Youth National Cup tie against northern rivals Maccabi Haifa in an attempt to move one step closer to this season's Under 17 double.

But in the meantime, there is no longer any doubt about the Southern National Under 17 League: "We are the Champions!"

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 17s are now the official champions ...

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 12 North, Under 10 South and Under 14 South all celebrated the Youth Division's first Cup triumphs. The Under 16s booked their place in the finals

This past week the trophy cabinet at Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division added three new Cup trophies to its collection. At Thursday's second annual Israel Football Association open day at the National Stadium in Ramat Gan, the Under 12 North team had the honour of being the first Maccabi Tel Aviv side to raise the National Cup. Under the assured guidance of head coach Asaf Propheta they completed the work started in their semi-final win against Hapoel Ra'anana by beating Hapoel Rishon Lezion 2-1 in the finals and ensuring the Cup remains in the Maccabi Youth Division cabinet, where it has resided over the past two years under the ownership of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 12 team South.

On the same day two other Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division teams played their Cup final matches as well. It was Maccabi's under 10 South team that raised the Division's second Cup of the day after they beat their namesakes from Petah Tikva by a score of 2-1. Less successful were lads of the under 10 North team, who lost their Cup final to Hapoel Rishon Lezion.

Only last Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 16s won their league match against Beitar Jerusalem 2-0 to draw level on points in the league table. In a match held on Wednesday at "Beit Hanivcharim" in Shfayim they repeated that feat with a dominating 3-0 performance against their rivals from the capital in the semi-finals of the Youth National Cup. The team's outstanding goal scorer in the league, Hadar Levi, netted a first-half brace to bring his Cup total to three. Itai Aloni added the third before the half-time whistle to ensure Maccabi's Under 16s booked their place in the Youth National Cup finals, also to be held at "Beit Hanivcharim" in Shfayim next Wednesday, April 3rd at 4 P.M., where they will face their northern rivals Maccabi Haifa.

The last Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division side to raise the Youth Teams National Cup were the Under 14 South team who convincingly beat FC Ashdod 4-0 on Saturday. Yarden Shoa scored a brace while Ilon Almog and Yarin Kasser added the other two. In another final held on Saturday at the National Stadium in Ramat Gan, Maccabi's Under 13 North team let a 2-0 advantage slip through their hands by conceding four to Beitar Tubruk to lose 4-2.

At the end of the day Maccabi Tel Aviv's Children's teams won three of their five Youth National Cup finals with the Youth teams edging towards the final rounds this week. The Under 16s and Under 15s will be playing their finals this coming Wednesday the 3rd of April, also at "Beit Hanivcharim" in Shfayim, while the Under 17s will play their semi-final match at the end of this month.

Photographs – Oded Carni, the Israel Football Association website

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under 12 North, Under 10 South and Under 14 ...

Another successful Saturday for Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division teams. Members of Maccabi's Under-17 squad played for the Israel national side

Teams in Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division completed yet another successful Saturday that included wins not only for the Under-19s but good results for all the other Youth Division teams as well. Teams in the nation Under-17 Premier League had the Saturday off while their players on the Israeli national team participated in the Elite Round of the European Under-17 Football Championships. Two Maccabi Tel Aviv Under-17 players, midfielder Dan Glazer and striker Guy Aviv, played all 80 minutes of Friday's first match of the tournament, a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic.

Maccabi's Under-16s continued their good form with a 2-0 win over Beitar Jerusalem with goals from Raz Yitschak, his 20^th in all competitions, and Eilon Yerushalmi, his 7th. The victory narrowed the gap at the top of the nation Under-16 Premier League table, with Maccabi trailing leaders Ashdod FC by nine points with a game in hand.

Both Of Maccabi's Under-15 teams registered victories on Saturday as well. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad" won their seventh match in succession with a 3-0 victory over Gadna Tel Aviv courtesy of goals by Roy Ronen, Sanir Lugassi and Gal Tsna'ani. Team 2 won their third successive match with a 2-1 home victory over Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam with a goal from Or Dessa and a dramatic late winner by Guy Shetah. Maccabi's Under-14 teams scored four goals apiece in a particularly successful week-end of matches. Team South beat Ironi Modi'in by a score of 4-2 and Team North kept a clean sheet in their 4-0 win over Maccabi Shoham. Among the Under-13s, Team North were equally successful, winning the derby with Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-0. Only Under-13 Team South failed to win, drawing 1-1 against Ashdod FC.

Another successful Saturday for Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division teams. Members of ...

The Youth Division once again had an excellent week-end with wins in the league and in the advanced stages of the national Youth Cup Competition

The national Youth Cup Competitions are reaching their decisive stages and at the week-end teams of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division registered victories that carried them into more advanced stages. All of the matches at this stage of the competition are played at "Beit Hanivcharot" sport complex in Shfai'im, just outside Tel Aviv. On Saturday morning Maccabi Under-13 Team North, in the capable hands of head coach Adi Somech, beat Maccabi Netanya in the quarter finals by an impressive 4-0. Today they will face Hapoel Beer Sheva in the semis. Other Maccabi Youth Division teams already played their semi-final matches on Saturday and Sunday. The first of them to reach the finals were the Under-15s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", who defeated Hapoel Petach Tikva by the convincing margin of 5-0. Roi Ronen scored a brace while Omer Lakau, Shai Golan and Ofer Mishta supplied the other three.

Yesterday head coach Leon Asraf's Under-14 Team South reached the finals in a tough match against Beitar Tubruk that finished 1-0 thanks to a goal from Eilon Almog. Under-12 Team North, coached ably by Asaf Propeta, beat Hapoel Ra'anana in a goalfest 9-5 that included a hat-trick by Ofir Sachayak and individual efforts by Rava Asayag, Yonatan Izan, Tomer Ya'acobi, Yoni Stuyanov, Guy Lehrer and Asaf Hershko. They'll face Hapoel Rishon Lezion in the finals. Under-11 Team North also guaranteed themselves a place in their Youth Cup finals by winning the derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv 6-4, twice coming from behind 3-0 and 4-2 from a brace by Tom Libov and goals from Yan Benbenishti, Yonatan Imberg, Omer Senior and Itai Freidman.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's teams in the Youth Division succeeded not only in cup competitions but in league matches as well. Saturday saw the Under-17s continue to lengthen their distance from the rest of the league pack with their 19^th victory in 20 league matches, a whopping 6-0 against Hapoel Ramat Gan at home at the Kiryat Shalom training grounds. Striker Sohil Armeli continued his excellent run of form with a hat-trick with Maxim Gerchkin, Aliel Peretz and Matan Hozez adding on. Under-15 Team 2 also won impressively, 5-0 against Hapoel Kiryat Ono. Amit Cohen scored a brace while Tal Sandervich, Itai Fibnik and Omer Partuk finished off the scoring.

Finally, as is the custom before every senior team home match, three outstanding players from the Youth Division had the honour of handing the match ball to the referees at Saturday night's match against Hapoel Ramat Hasharon. On Saturday they were Tom Zgury from the Under-16s, Ofri Mashta from the Under-15s (Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad") and Yahali Ben Ari from the Under-11 Team North.

The Youth Division once again had an excellent week-end with wins in ...

Maccabi's Youth Division teams celebrated another Saturday of victories with the Under-17s winning their 14^th in a row and the Under 16's climbing to third in the table

Fourteen was the magic number for Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s on Saturday. They not only celebrated their 14^thconsecutive victory, but the team's leading scorer, striker Yonathan Cohen, boosted his number of league goals to 14 with a brace in a 4-0 win over Maccabi Haifa/Nahalal. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded"'s other striker, Sohil Armeli, is second in the goal-scoring department after netting his 11^th league goal, while Israel Damka's maiden effort finished off the 4-0 rout. The win keeps the Under 17's top of the table, 13 points ahead of their nearest adversaries, city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Maccabi's Under-16s faced a tough away match against Hapoel Beer Sheva but returned with a 1-3 victory which leap-frogged them to third in the table at their host's expense. Hadar Levi, the Under-16s' leading scorer this season, netted his 15^th league goal, Raz Yitschak added his 13^th and Ilon Yerushalmi contributed the third in team's second consecutive league win. The Under-15s maintained their distance from the top spot in the table at eight points with a convincing 1-7 away win at Bnei Eilat. The only Youth Division team to find themselves at the wrong end of a final result this week-end were the Under-15 Team 2, who lost the derby away at Hapoel Tel Aviv 1-2.

Maccabi's Under-14 Team South came from behind to beat Gadna Tel Aviv away 1-3, while Team North also won away at Ironi Modi'in 0-2. For the Under-13 Team South it was the same town, same team and the same winning scoreline, 0-2. Finally, this highly successful Maccabi Tel Aviv Youith division Saturday was sealed with the Under 13 Team North clean-sheeting Section Nes Ziona by a whopping 7 goals to nil.

Maccabi's Youth Division teams celebrated another Saturday of victories with the Under-17s ...