Local Soccer: Viza starts training with Betar Jerusalem

Betar Jerusalem's new Peruvian striker looks set to be included in squad for Sunday's Israeli Premier League clash.

By JEREMY LAST
viza 88 (photo credit: Avi Waller/ Bjerusalem.co.il)
viza 88
(photo credit: Avi Waller/ Bjerusalem.co.il)
Betar Jerusalem's new Peruvian striker Cesar Junior Viza completed his first training session with the club at its Bayit Vegan training ground on Tuesday and looks set to be included in Itzhak Schum's squad for Sunday's Israeli Premier League clash at Ashdod SC. The youngster signed with the league champion for the rest of the season after completing medical tests with an option to extend the contract for another year. Viza, who has never played outside of his native Peru, previously played for Alianza Lima in the country's capital. "My dream is to play in Europe and Betar will help me realize that dream," he told reporters after landing in Israel on Sunday. "People have told me that Betar is a big club with many fans. I know that Betar want to reach the Champions League and I hope to be there with them. This is the first time I have left Peru to play in a foreign league and I am a little excited but hope to do the best I can." Viza was brought in to replace Barak Itzhaki who moved to Belgian club Genk at the start of January. Itzhaki was not included in the Genk squad which lost 2-0 to Standard Liege on Monday as the Belgian season restarted after the winter break. The month-long transfer window finally appears to be gaining pace with Jewish American Benny Feilhaber arriving in Israel on Monday with a view to transfering from English Premier League club Derby County to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Feilhaber was born in Brazil and moved to the US when he was six years old. Although he made a number of appearances for Derby at the start of the season after moving from German club Hamburg in the summer, he has since fallen out of favor and a move to Israel looks a likely possibility. Meanwhile, Bnei Yehuda's Nigerian goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba looks to have played his last game for the southern Tel Aviv club with youth team goalie Nil Abarbanel expected to replace him.