12/7/2013: Maccabi T.A finish off pre-season with win

Football:

Mane' controls the ball for Maccabi yesterday (sport5)

Maccabi Tel Aviv will go into their Champions League opener vs Hungarian League champions Gyori full of confidence after they claimed a 1-0 win over Hapoel Rishon LeZion last night to round-off their pre-season fixtures. 500 Maccabi fans turned up to watch Nigerian 19-year-old striker Lanre Kehinde score tho only goal of the game after tapping in a Tal Ben Haim shot that hit the post and fell to his feet. The first leg of Maccabi's match-up with Gyori will be played on Wednesday in Hungary with the 2nd leg to be played the following Tuesday in Tel Aviv. "I think that the players have an amazing approach, are moving forward and are passing through a phase", said Maccabi's manager Paulo Sousa, "Every game we play i see better things. Only by playing the games will we really know how good we are. Right now we are making great progress. We want every player to fight for his spot on the pitch in order to make inner competition amongst the team, and every player has to be ready to get out on to that pitch because we have important targets to reach. We have a lot of players with different abilities.
In connection with new goalkeeper Juan Pablo Colinas,Sousa said: "We are talking here about a player with experience, he is very good and i am sure he will help us to thrive". When asked about whether Colinas will start in Maccabi's Champion League fixture against Gyori next week even though he didn't even play in a friendly match yet for the club, the manager said, "Anyone who is in the squad has a chance to start".

Other friendly match results:
Maccabi Netanya 2 - 1 Hapoel Be'er Sheva 
Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona 3 - 1 Hapoel Afula
Ashdod 1 - 1Hapoel Petch Tikva




Basketball:
Israel lost their second group game in the Sportland U20 European Championships Group C in Estonia yesterday after being defeated 78-60 by Russia. The national team didn't really make any improvement from their last game against Latvia as Russia steamrolled them in a game that didn't really have any positives for Israel. Israel's overall leader in the game was Tomer Ginat who finished the game with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Igor Mayor led Israel in scoring with 16 points. If their was any positivity at any pint during the game then it came in the 3rd quarter when Israel managed to outscore their opponents 21-16. Israel's next game is later today at 14:30 when they will face Bulgaria in a must win fixture if Israel want to advance to the next round.
 Israel beat Bulgaria 68-66.

Gal Eitan (walla!)

Maccabi Ashdod have have made their first signing of the summer by signing Israeli Gal Eitan from Hapoel Tel Aviv. 182cm Eitan who played as guard for Hapoel last season has joined Ashdod on a 1 year deal.