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The Israeli Football Association (IFA) Cup win for striker Ben Ben Yair with Hapoel Ramat Gan, the dominance of striker Barak Yitschaki and keeper Guy Haimov at Cypriot sides Anortosis Famagusta and AEK Larnaca, and midfielder Rafi Dahan's success at Bnei Yehuda. Maccabi Tel Aviv players on loan in the 2012/13 season
In addition to the footballers on the Maccabi Tel Aviv squad that blossomed during the Championship season, there were other players on the club's books who spent the year on loan at other clubs. Now that the season is over, it's time to have a look at how the MTA on loan players fared during the 2012/13 season.
Rafi Dahan – Bnei Yehuda
The energetic midfielder was loaned out to Tel Aviv neighbours Bnei Yehuda half way through the season and immediately cemented his place in the starting lineup, missing just five minutes of the 14 league games he appeared in. He scored one goal in his club's 3-0 win over Hapoel Ramat Hasharon and helped Bnei Yehuda finish the season a respectable fourth in the table.
Dia Saba – Hapoel Beer Sheva
The short but swift midfielder participated in Maccabi Tel Aviv training sessions in La Manga in Spain and was then sent out on loan to Hapoel Beer Sheva where he started the league season. He scored one goal in the first half of the season, afterwards moving on once again on loan to Bnei Sakhnin in the January transfer window. There he scored one goal in his club's 3-2 win against Bnei Lod in the last 16 of the IFA Cup and helped the club avoid relegation from the Israeli Premier League.
Roi Kehat – Hapoel Beer Sheva
The young midfielder started the season at Hapoel Beer Sheva and scored his first goal for head coach Elisha Levy in a Toto (League) Cup match against Hapoel Ramat Gan in September. His first league goal followed two months later in a 2-2 draw against Hapoel Acre. As the season progressed Kahat failed to pin down his position in the squad or add goals to his credit in a season that saw his side saved from relegation on the last day of the season.
Barak Yitschaki – Anortosis Famagusta (Cyprus)
The 28 year-old striker enjoyed an excellent season, scoring 13 goals in 23 appearances at Anortosis Famagusta, who finished second in the Cypriot First Division. He was loaned out last summer and joined Israeli head coach Ronnie Levi in attempt to regain the title for the Cypriot club for the first time since the 2007/08 season. Yitschaki opened the season with injuries and returned to regular play only towards the end of October and started 2013 with just one goal to his credit. Thereafter his affinity for getting balls in the back of the net improved markedly and by season's end he was the top goal scorer of any foreign player in the league. Among his 13 goals were two braces and a hat-trick. Unfortunately for Yitschaki his goal scoring talents did not suffice to close the six point gap that brought the Cypriot giant Apoel Nicosia the 2012/13 title.
Guy Haimov – AEK Larnaca (Cyprus)
A second Maccabi Tel Aviv player who spent last season in the Cypriot First Division was goalkeeper Guy Haimov, who also joined an Israeli head coach, Ran Ben Shimon, at AEK Larnaca. Haimov's start to the season was as good as any goalkeeper could possibly wish for, going 739 minutes in nine consecutive matches before conceding his first goal, a new record in the Cypriot League. His club also spent a large part of the season in the upper reaches of the table and appeared to be a contender for the league title. In the end however AEK Larnaca settled for a fourth place finish and failed to capture a place in any European competitions. Haimov himself finished the season with 29 appearances and average of a little less than one goal conceded per match.
