North Caulfield shares the points
NORTH Caulfield Maccabi returned to the pitch on Sunday after a bye weekend for the league, playing out a lacklustre goalless draw against Nunawading.
NORTH Caulfield Maccabi returned to the pitch on Sunday after a bye weekend for the league, playing out a lacklustre goalless draw against Nunawading.
Franklin Ngwa’s sparkling form in the reserves saw him promoted for his first run in the seniors since a serious car accident almost two years ago.
The first 15 minutes of the match saw both sides play tentatively, with the first meaningful chance coming on the quarter hour. Nunawading broke forward only to have Maccabi keeper Brett Sacks pounce off his line and cut out the danger to deny the home side.
Moments later and it was Maccabi’s turn, midfielder Ari Ritz gathering in attack and effecting a stunning turn to set up Josh Braver, who burst into the box and earned Maccabi a corner kick.
But with no menacing tall forwards in the box, the opportunity to break the deadlock went begging.
Gideon Sweet read the play well all afternoon, not allowing his opponent any room to move and driving his team forward with exquisite long passes across the field. Amgad Marieh shot powerfully, but cleared the bar in what was the only real chance on goal for Maccabi for the half.
After the break, Nunawading pressed forward on numerous occasions, with young keeper Sacks called on to make crucial saves in defence, showing tremendous poise in only his fourth senior appearance.
In an attempt to break, the deadlock, coach Andrew Freund employed his full bench of substitutes in the second half to try to spur his troops into action. But it was to no avail, the side having to settle for a share of the points after an uninspiring draw.
The reserves clinched a win in an entertaining shootout against Nunawading 4-2.
Adam Friedman scored first for Maccabi, with a curling free kick in the fifth minute to set the scene for the afternoon. Friedman added another goal soon after as the team entered the half-time break with a handy 2-0 lead.
After the break, Nat Vardi scored an easy tap-in header, and Gilad Ritz made a number of electrifying runs down the right wing to ignite his team.
One such instance saw Ritz end the run with a magnificent cross that swooped to the back post where a waiting Chad Honey knocked in a winning header to give his side a hard-fought win.
North Caulfield Maccabi plays Old Scotch
on Sunday at 3pm at Caulfield Park
(Melways: 59 C11).
DANIEL OPAT
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