Trophy time for Maccabi’s awesome Amigos
The Maccabi Hakoah Amigos came back from behind against Waverley to win the Easts Football Association boys' U13 division 3 premiership on August 25.
A GOOD crowd at Hensley Athletic Field was treated to a junior football grand final of the highest quality last Sunday when the undefeated Maccabi Hakoah Amigos came back from behind against Waverley to win a memorable Eastern Suburbs Football Association boys’ U13 division 3 premiership.
Amigos captain Joe Maddock said his team was thrilled to lift the trophy “because we’ve got really close a few times, and last year we made the grand final but lost”.
“Having that experience probably helped us, and we’d played them [Waverley] three times this season and worked hard in training on our passing accuracy and shooting.”
The match was defined by free-flowing football by both sides, frequent shots on goal and some terrific saves by both goalkeepers, including a stunning diving effort by Maccabi’s Daniel Solomon in the final minutes.
Waverley looked the more settled side in the first half, and scored in the 15th minute through a superb finish following a fast break.
That brought the Amigos to life, and they created several chances but weren’t able to beat the keeper until early in the second half when, following a weight of possession, they equalised through a powerful shot from 15 metres out by Ben Maserow.
A cool, calm and collected Louis Munro then walked to the spot to take a penalty with 10 minutes left, and didn’t miss, prompting an elated huddle by the boys in blue and a steely determination to finish the job.
After the final whistle blew, Maddock told The AJN that conceding an early goal was tough, but the team remained confident of victory at half-time.
“There were some nerves at the start, but we were able to shake them off and that’s when we started playing how we wanted to.
“We came back, and then Louis [Munro] – who has been our star striker all season – was able to make that penalty count. It’s pretty special.”
The team’s new coach, Brazilian Alvaro Moreno, said it was a pleasure to guide such a committed group of players.
“The way they’ve dedicated themselves as a team was the most important factor in their success,” Moreno said.
Team manager Paul Trachtenberg said the Amigos are deserving premiers, and he thanked all the team’s supporters – particularly the boys’ parents – but also some Maccabi U12s players who filled in whenever injuries struck the squad.
“All the boys put their hearts and souls into each game,” he said.
“And Alvaro [coach] believed in this team from day one.”
Last Sunday was also a memorable day for the Maccabi Hakoah Green U18 boys’ team, which won their semi-final against Heffron Hawks 4-3 in extra time, with doubles to Josh Jackson and Saul Fine – the latter scoring the winning goal from a free kick opportunity.
SHANE DESIATNIK
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