Category: News
Veterans Club to host Avraham Stemberg
Maccabi Tel Aviv will honour Avraham Stemberg before the kickoff of Saturday’s league fixture at the start of this season’s second phase at Bloomfield.
Stemberg began his playing career for Ness Ziona in the 1960s and was one of the best defenders in the league during the period. His abilities caught the eye of Maccabi Tel Aviv, who enlisted him at the start of the 1969-70 season. He first turned out for the club on October 4 1969 in a fixture against Maccabi Haifa, with 15,000 spectators on hand. The following month, on November 18, Stemberg scored his first goal for Maccabi in a fixture against Maccabi Petah Tikva at Bloomfield.
During the same season, Stemberg was part of the team that beat Hapoel 5-0 in the Tel Aviv Derby in the match where Giora Spiegel scored a hat trick.
Stemberg made 142 appearances for Maccabi, scoring twice. He won two championships and two State Cups and the Asian Club Championship in 1971.
Teammates put Shechter in FIFA ratings spotlight
This week in history: Juve salvage a point at Ramat Gan
December 8, 2004. Sold out Ramat Gan Stadium. It’s not every day that Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters get a chance to see fan favorite Koby Moosa try to stop the Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero. That same evening Maccabi Tel Aviv ended their European campaign in their first ever foray into the exclusive competition. Following an unsuccessful first round of matches that included three losses, Nir Klinger’s charges then defeated Ajax 2:1 with the help of the club’s top tournament goal scorer, Baruch Dego.
A win over Juventus, which was not even a thought before the group stages began or even a draw coupled with an Ajax loss would be good enough for Maccabi to advance to the UEFA Cup from third place in the group.
Klinger decided to make a number of changes to his starting lineup including replacing keeper Liran Strauber in goal with Gal Nir. Moshiko Mishaelof played beside Oren Zitoni and Tamir Cohen in the back as Klinger decided to go with five midfielders in order to deal with the pressure from Cannavaro, Kapo, Pavel Nedved and Del Piero. As the opening whistle was blown, Maccabi had their first opportunity of the match when Zitoni’s 20 meter effort passed by Antonio Chimenti’s goal and signaled to all that this would be the Yellow-and-Blue’s best match of the tournament.
As Roy Makaay gave Bayern Munich a 1:0 lead over Ajax in Germany, Maccabi’s Cameroonian striker Emile M’Bamba fell in the box after a push from Jonathan Zebina good for a foul. French referee Alain Sars pointed to the penalty spot where Dego would coolly convert for his fourth goal of the campaign. 1:0 for Maccabi as the score would remain that way until the half sending the fans into pandemonium. Meanwhile in Munich, Ajax evened the score at 1:1 as they entered the break with the UEFA Cup spot still wide open with forty-five minutes to go.
The second half began with inspired defending by Maccabi. With Juventus pouring on the pressure in front of Gal Nir’s goal, Moosa, Strool, Giovanini and Abu Siam were able to withstand wave after wave of Bianconeri attack. That was until the 71st minute. Substitute Zambrotta’s perfectly placed free kick was headed down by Zalayeta right to the magical feet of Del Piero who scored from close range to draw Juve even at 1:1.
Ajax then took a 2:1 lead in Germany and Maccabi found themselves looking up at third place in the group. Bayern would knot up their match at 2:2, however in Ramat Gan Giovanini’s brilliant header was knocked away by Chimenti denying Maccabi victory as the fans applauded their effort but collected one point only that would not be enough to finish in third.
Saturday football fun day out
This coming Saturday we are planning a football celebration for the whole family ahead of the match against Ness Ziona that will kick off at 15:00 and you are all invited to enjoy a Saturday celebration for the entire family, with tickets already on sale starting at NIS 50 each.
For purchases click here
The programme we have planned will begin with activities for children and the entire family starting at 13:00 next to the stadium between gates 5-7. In the event of expected rain, the activities will not be held outside the stadium.
Stadium gates will open at 13:00, two hours before kickoff.
Ticket sales have begun at Lean ticket agency’s sales counter at 42 Frishman Street, via phone at *8780 or through Maccabi’s official web site.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Gate 4 (sections 311-314, unmarked seats) – 50 NIS
Gate 7 families enclosure (sections 419-422, marked seats) 70 NIS
Gate 8 (sections 428-431 unmarked seats) – 70 NIS
East stand (gates 7-8, sections 319-322, 328-331) 80 NIS
East stand (gates 7-8, sections 323-324, 326-327, 423-424, 426-427 ) 90 NIS
East stand (sections 325, 425) 100 NIS
Gates 2, 13 – 110 NIS
Silver enclosure east 120 NIS
Silver enclosure west 225 NIS
Gold enclosure 400 NIS
Cup success all round for Academy teams
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s boys and junior sides entered the State Cup fray at the weekend and all have advanced to the next stage of the competition after they notched clear wins. The youth (under-19) side had Saturday off and will enter the competition at a later stage.
Ironi Nesher 0, Maccabi Tel Aviv “Oded” 3: The U17 side had an easy win over their hosts from the north who are languishing at the bottom of their division. Maccabi’s goals were scored by Elad Kaplan, Saar Salama and Aviv Peles.
Maccabi Tel Aviv “Eli Fuchs” 3, Hapoel Kfar Sava 1: The U16 team carried on their winning run in the league and came back from an early deficit to beat the visitors at Kiryat Shalom with Ido Mizrahi, Niv Huber and Lior Aloni scoring for Maccabi.
Hapoel Nof Hagalil 0, Maccabi Tel Aviv “Eldad”: The U15 team played their hosts from the north in Hadera and also continued their winning ways with goals by Michael Merenstein, Osher Bruchim, Lior Yosef (two), and Nikita Alexienko.
M.S. Beer Sheva – MTA U14S 0:6
MTA U13S – Maccabi Tzur Shalom 10:1
MTA U13N – Hapoel Ironi Gedera 6:0
MTA U12S – Hapoel Emek Hamaayanot 35:0
MTA U12N – Maccabi Rehovot 14:0
Ironi Kiryat Gat – MTA U11S 1:24
MTA U11N – Maccabi Hertzlya 27:0
First phase summary a copy of last season
Maccabi Tel Aviv have completed the first phase of the season at the top of the TASE Premier League standings on 33 points after 10 wins and three draws. Last season, Vladimir Ivic’s charges also ended at the top with 33 points, although this time around the goal difference column shows an incredible 20-0 record, while last season it was 31-7.
This season’s first phase record is the club’s second-best ever and since the introduction of three points for a win in 1982-83. Only in 1993-94, after 13 matches, did the club accrue 37 points.
Prior to this season, the lowest number of conceded goals after 13 matches was three, achieved by Hapoel Haifa in 1998-99 and by Maccabi Haifa in 1969-70. Hapoel Yahud ended a first league phase of 13 matches and conceded four goals in 1977-78.
Maccabi have bettered their plus-20 goal difference on three previous occasions after the first phase: in 2018-19, 1995-96 and 1993-94. And on two occasions in the past have they achieved a 100 percent record in away matches in the first phase: 1993-94 and 1953-54.
Maccabi have involved 24 players in this season’s fixtures. Of those, only Daniel Tenenbaum, Eitan Tibi and Dan Glazer have played 13 full matches, 1,170 minutes.
Eight players have scored in the period, with Yonatan Cohen leading all others with five goals, Chico Ofoedu has scored four and Dor Micha three.
Ofoedu, who has been out injured recently, leads the club’s assists column with three, while Glazer, Eyal Golasa and Yonatan Cohen have two each.
Yonatan Cohen, who was not in the squad against Netanya, leads the league with shots on target, at 14, and is fourth in the list with nine telling passes.
Glazer leads the league with 97 tackles, 56 of them successful, and he is second for dispossessing the opposition in their half, with 22. Jair Amador is fourth in the league for total number of dispossessions, at 103.
Davidzada: I must take my chance when I get it
Maccabi Tel Aviv defender Ofir Davidzada opened in a league game for the first time in several weeks on Saturday and said he felt great and that the competition for places in the club’s excellent lineup was tough.
“It was great to be back on the field today, a fantastic feeling. There is great competition for playing slots at Maccabi and it’s something you have to take into account. Enric Saborit is a great player and there is much competition for places between us in the lineup. When you get the chance to play you have to grab it with both hands and I hope I did so and proved to the coach that I deserved my selection,” he told Maccabi’s channel.
He said he had never played in a game where four goals had been disallowed but that was not an issue that should concern players.
“We should not dwell on refereeing decisions, we just need to get on with playing and look ahead,” he said after the goalless draw with Maccabi Netanya. 
“I think we played well, we were by far the better team and we had many chances but we needed just that little bit extra that was missing today for the win.”
Davidzada said that to have finished an entire league phase without conceding a goal is a “crazy achievement.”
“I’m pleased I have been able to be a part of it but much credit must go to the coach and the coaching staff, we have an excellent tactical lineup when you have players who are all at the same high level we can achieve so much more and long may our great form continue. I am also playing well and I’ll have to continue to work hard.”
Ivic: We deserved more from this game
Maccabi Tel Aviv completed the entire first phase of the TASE Premier League without conceding a goal on Saturday but the goalless draw at Bloomfield against Maccabi Netanya was disappointing as the hosts put the ball in the Netanya net four times but all were disallowed for various infringements.
Coach Vladimir Ivic gave his assessment after the final whistle and preferred to concentrate on the play, rather than the missed chances.
“I can only talk about the game. It was a good performance and we had many more chances to score than our opponents. They had good chances towards the end but I believe that we deserved more than a goalless draw.”
“We pushed hard and made every possible effort to score. We put the ball in the net four times but the goals were disallowed. Sometimes these things happen, and if you don’t score, you can’t win.”
Ivic said he had planned to include more players throughout and that they proved their worth. “I thought we would need lots of energy in this game. All those who played fought really hard, created chances and played well in defence. I really think this was a good game despite the fact that there were no goals.”
Maccabi share points with Netanya in goalless draw
Maccabi Tel Aviv put the ball in the back of Maccabi Netanya’s net four times on Saturday but had nothing to show for their efforts as the final game of the TASE Premier League’s first phase ended in a goalless draw at Bloomfield.
Maccabi held most of the possession and were more dominant for most of the match, but Netanya managed to hold on against repeated attacks by the entire Tel Aviv lineup.
With the goalless draw, none of Maccabi’s opponents have yet managed to score against the defending champions in the league this season and goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum kept his goalmouth shut for 12 consecutive games and for 1,263 minutes since he last conceded a goal in the 87th minute of the penultimate game of last season.
The game began with Netanya piling on early pressure and a good shot from Mohammed Zbidat that required Tenenbaum’s intervention but Maccabi soon picked up the pace and threatened Danny Amos’s goal.
Omer Atzili, who looked in red hot form, had a chance to score in the 13th minute and put the ball away in the 17th minute but it was ruled offside.
Further chances also failed to find the target and it was mainly one way traffic towards Netanya’s goal.
Shechter put the ball in the net in the 34th minute after an excellent sliding interception along the left byline by Atzili, who sent the ball to the striker in front of goal, but it was disallowed because Shechter committed a foul on Amos. 
Two minutes later, Eylon Almog broke free of the Netanya defence in the area and chipped Amos and again put the ball in the net but again the goal was annulled due to an infringement.
In the 51st minute, Atzili again put the ball in Netanya’s net but again the goal was disallowed because he had handled the ball while hurtling towards the goal.
Futher assaults later in the half were also thwarted, while Tenenbaum was tested twice by Netanya towards the end but he was equal to both attempts to finally score against him.
