Match Overview
The Maccabi Tel Aviv youth team, known as Shachar, were beaten 2-1 by Hapoel Tel Aviv in Round 5 of the Israel Youth Premier League. The press and pace of the opening minutes gave way to a tense contest, with Itay Zafrani scoring early for the Yellow-and-Blue before Raviv Ulitsky struck twice to hand Hapoel the lead that would hold until the final whistle.
First Half
From the opening whistle, Maccabi pressed high under the guidance of Niv Perry’s approach. In the 1st minute, a shot by Itay Zafrani took a deflection off the Hapoel goalkeeper and rolled into the net, giving the visitors a 0-1 lead.
Hapoel answered in the 16th minute when Raviv Ulitsky was fouled in the box by Itay Beraum. Ulitsky converted the spot-kick to level the score at 1-1.
Ro’i Mogor looked to push the visitors ahead in the 24th minute with a long-range effort, but Bazadug’s save preserved a corner for Maccabi. The momentum swung back to Hapoel when Ulitsky struck again in the 26th minute, capitalizing on a keeper’s error to complete a brace and put the hosts ahead 1-2.
By the 36th minute, Yaheli Danor found the target from close range, only for the red goalkeeper to parry the shot away and keep the scoreline intact at the break.
Second Half
The Yellow squad came out eager to overturn the deficit after the break. In the 55th minute, a quick passing sequence threatened the Hapoel goal: Yoyo Aviv beat the keeper but Bezadug cleared the danger at the last moment, and Lotem Asres controlled the rebound in the box only for his shot to be blocked and cleared.
In the 66th minute, Lotem Asres again looked dangerous, firing from the edge of the area, but his blast struck the post and stayed out. The late phases saw two sharp attempts by Yishai Barush in the 82nd and 86th minutes, both saved by Idan Trau, the Maccabi keeper.
During stoppage time, Maccabi pushed forward once more. Yoyo Aviv forced a save from the Hapoel keeper, then Ro’i Mogor fired from the edge of the box just wide as the match finished 2-1 in favor of Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Key Moments and Analysis
The first-half exchange highlighted a momentum swing: Zafrani’s early strike suggested Maccabi could control the tempo, but Ulitsky’s clinical finishing after a defensive error turned the game in favor of Hapoel. The second half showed resilience from Maccabi, who created chances and pressed in the final third, yet could not find a decisive goal to level the score.
Overall, the result reflects the competitiveness of the Israel Youth Premier League, where a single moment—like Ulitsky’s two goals or the late changes in the game—can decide a derby. Maccabi will hope to refine their finishing in future rounds while maintaining the pressing intensity that started the match.
Lineups and Substitutions
Starting goalkeeper: Idan Trau. Defenders included Itay Beraum and Liran Spigel. Midfield featured Idan Weinberg, later replaced by Noam Cohen (88). Gai Reich started, with Lirui AvriBai (62) making an appearance; Rani Rivoli (46) was substituted by Yo-Yo Aviv; Ro’i Mogor and Lotem Asres featured in midfield with substitutions; Yali Danor (79) and Ilai Ben Simon supported the attack, with Itay Zafrani completing the forward line.
What’s Next
With this loss, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s youth team will regroup ahead of their next league fixture, focusing on tightening defense and converting chances in the final third. The tight margins of youth football mean that attention to detail in both set-pieces and counter-pressing will be crucial for climbing the table in the coming rounds.
