Goals from Adam Burchell, Adam Bolle, Jack Mattey and Max Kyte earned an emphatic victory at the MTK Lantos Mihaly Sports Centre in Budapest.
Burchell was a key figure in the opening exchanges, tormenting the Sweden right-back. A couple of mazy runs and dangerous crosses found Bolle in the first 20 minutes but the London Lions’ striker was unable to convert.
GB opened the scoring shortly after the first hydration break, in a match played in scoring conditions. A delicious Crossfield pass from centre-half Nick Landesberg found Burchell in acres of space. He cut inside and lashed his shot into the net, beating the keeper at his near post.
Bolle was rewarded for his efforts with GB’s second goal after 64 minutes. Swedish heads began to drop and Landesberg freshened things up by introducing substitutes Mattey and Kyte, who were soon on the scoresheets with rasping efforts. Mattey made it 3-0 after 79 minutes before Kyte completed the rout two minutes from time.
A delighted Landesberg told JC Sport: “It’s always important to win your first game in tournament football and we’ll take the clean sheet.
“Sweden were well-organised and tough opponents but we stuck to our game-plan and were pretty solid all round.
“We said before game patience is key and the message was to stay positive and not to get on each others’ backs. It was a good work-out and the great thing is everybody played a part.”
Landesberg believes GB’s strength in depth will help them reach the latter stages of the competition. “Everyone who starts on the bench is in great shape,” he said. “There is great confidence across squad and we know we have boys who can come on and influence the game.
GB used their full allocation of seven subs, including goalkeeper Reuben Rabstein, who made a couple of fine saves late on. “It’s clear you need your squad of 18 in this heat and all the boys know they will get a chance,” said Landesberg.
He pinpointed Mitch Hahn, Nick Landesberg and Adam Burchell for “sparkling performances” and said Adam Arnold “was excellent in his first-ever Maccabi Games”.
GB return to action on Thursday morning when they take on Spain, with Switzerland their opponents in their third match on Friday.
MACCABI GB: David Myers, Jake Rinsler, Nick Landesberg, Adam Arnold, Tom Smith, Adam Lipman, Ethan Mooney, Dan Creese, Mitch Hahn (capt), Adam Burchell, Adam Bolle. Subs: Reuben Rabstein, Lee Goldberg, Jack Mattey, Austin Lipman, Liron Mannie, Nathan Schindler, Max Kyte
SCORERS: Burchell 38, Bolle 64, Mattey 79, Kyte 88
