Maccabi U14 Lions roar in grand final
Just as the game looked destined to go into extra time, Maccabi launched a final attacking raid with 30 seconds left.
The third-placed Maccabi-Hakoah Lions rose to the occasion when facing ladder leaders Maroubra when it counted most – in last Saturday’s Eastern Suburbs Football Association (ESFA) 2024 U14 boys division one grand final – earning a thrilling title win in the last minute of the game at Hensley Field.
They started well, creating some half chances, but were soon pegged back by the strong Maroubra defence, in a goalless first half. Maroubra looked dangerous in attack at the beginning of the second half, but were denied time and again by a committed Maccabi defence and top-quality goalkeeping.
In the last 10 minutes, the Maccabi-Hakoah boys pressed Maroubra, earning several corners and free kicks, but could not convert those opportunities into goals.
But just as the game looked destined to go into extra time, Maccabi launched a final attacking raid with 30 seconds left.
Having to deal with the pressure of two Maroubra defenders, Beau Baron chased down a long ball from the back and got himself between both players, before taking the ball in his stride and finishing superbly, scoring the winning goal.
It sparked incredible scenes among the Maccabi players and their coach Mike Synott on the pitch and their supporters in the grandstand, creating wonderful memories that will be sure to last.
In another grand final, the U16 division 2 boys’ decider played last Sunday night, the second-placed Maccabi Leopards pressed first-placed Maroubra all the way, but fell just short, in an epic match that was determined by a penalty shootout.
Finding themselves 0-1 down as half-time approached, Adam Avioz dispatched a well-placed penalty shot to equalise, only for Maroubra to retake the lead one minute before the break.
The Maccabi Leopards came out firing in the second half after some inspiring words from coach Roger Kilinsky and their well-deserved second equaliser came in the form of a Jake Glick header, executed after the ball had bounced down off the crossbar.
With no goals scored in extra time, a penalty shootout occurred, which Maroubra won 4-3.
Still in junior football, a postponed all-Maccabi-Hakoah preliminary final derby in U18 division one occurred on Tuesday night (August 27), which also went down to a penalty shootout.
With scores locked at 2-2 at the end of extra time, it was 6-6 two-thirds of the way through the shootout between the first-placed U18 Maccabi Lions and a talent-packed Maccabi U16 Lions side that had come fourth at the end of the regular season, showing just what they could do against older opponents.
In the end, the younger of the two Maccabi-Hakoah teams prevailed in the shootout by 9-8, earning the right to advance to the grand final against Pagewood this Sunday.
Moving to ESFA men’s football, only one of Maccabi-Hakoah’s four teams in different divisions made this year’s finals series and that was in Saturday division 4.
And they remain in the hunt, after a fast, free-flowing and exciting 3-2 minor semi-final win over UNSW, in which Jonathan Solomon scored their first and third goals and Yudi Vorchheimer their second goal.
They’ll play next in a preliminary final against second-placed Easts, this Saturday morning.
ESFA U16 boys division 2 runners-up, the Maccabi-Hakoah Leopards.
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