The Maccabi Tel Aviv Hisense Goal of the Decade has been announced following a week of fan voting and your choice for the club’s best goal of the past 10 years was Eran Zahavi’s winner in the 3-2 victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Derby of 2013-14.

The winning goal received 38 percent of the vote while Zahavi’s equaliser for 2-2 in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round against FC Basel was second with 25 percent. Barak Itzhaki’s overhead kick against Maccabi Haifa was third in the rankings with 20 percent and Moshiko Lugasi’s strike against Bnei Yehuda was fourth with 11 percent.

On Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at 17:00 all participants will receive a text message with a question and the person with the swiftest correct answer will win the lucrative prize of a season ticket for next season and a 50-inch Hisense TV.

Maccabi Tel Aviv have played 529 fixtures during the past decade. They have won 221 times, 73 matches have ended in draws and there have been 66 defeats. The goal difference is 923-481.

The fastest goal in any match was scored within 13 seconds from kickoff by Vidar Kjartansson.

Dor Micha has posted most appearances and has provided 91 goal assists.

Eran Zahavi has scored most goals, at 127, and Sheran Yeini has had most on-field time, with 26,661 minutes. 

Maccabi have won nine titles between 2010 and 2020, the most among any Israeli club in the period.

Spain is the source of most foreign players for Maccabi, with six, and there have been nine foreign coaches.

The most-played opposing team have been Maccabi Haifa, against whom there have been 40 meetings.

Dor is the most common given name among Maccabi’s players over the period: Dor Micha, Dor Peretz, Dor Jan, Dor Malul and Dor Galili.

The goal scored from the longest distance was struck by Mahran Radi from 35 metres in the Derby on February 2, 2015.

The most goals scored by the same player in one match is four, by Eran Zahavi against Kiryat Shmona on 27.12.2015.

Maccabi have amassed 736 league points during the decade, the most for any club and well ahead of Hapoel Beersheba, who had 609 points, and Maccabi Haifa in third with 584.

Current coach Vladimir Ivic has been at the helm for the most matches this decade, with 76. Second was Jordi Cruyff with 69 and third was Oscar Garcia with 50.

The most common result was 2-0, which was achieved 68 times. A 1-0 win was registered 64 times. The highest result was 6-0 and was notched three times, against Maccabi Haifa in 2015-16, Hapoel Petah Tikva in 2014-15 and Zeleznicar of Bosnia in 2011-12.

Eli Hakhmon was the referee who most commonly took charge of matches involving Maccabi. He did so 38 times.

Sheran Yeini, a defender, has kept goal on two occasions, in 2010-11 against Hapoel Beersheba, and against Maccabi Netanya in 2014-15.

Tickets have gone on sale for the big 17th round of the TASE Premier League clash between hosts Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv on Monday, January 6 at the Sammy Ofer Stadium, kickoff at 20:15.

Priority purchase for the limited number of tickets for away supporters will be afforded until Wednesday, January 1 at 19:00 to Maccabi fans who have accrued 20 or more loyalty points for away games. Supporters who qualify for priority purchase will be notified by SMS text message. If any tickets remain after the deadline, they will be available for purchase by FOREVER and FOREVER PLUS members.

Tickets can be obtained through the official Maccabi Tel Aviv FC web site from Monday, at the Lean Ticket office, 42 Frishman Street, Tel Aviv or by phone on *8780.

Loyalty points will not be awarded for purchases for this fixture because of the small number of available tickets.

Ticket prices:

Maccabi supporters will have stadium access through gates J and K. Note that tickets cannot be collected the stadium box office and should be printed at home.

Only hard copy tickets will be accepted at the turnstiles, mobile phone scans will not afford access to the stadium.

Under-18, soldiers with military ID card, women: NIS 49.5 (tickets of this type are limited)

Adult: NIS 99

Tickets ordered by phone or internet: Under-18, soldiers with military ID card, women: NIS 54.5. Adults: NIS 104

Additional points of note:

Gates open at 18:00

Discount ticket holders must present documentation to prove their eligibility with a discounted ticket and it will be checked at the stadium. Those failing to do so or unable to confirm their status will be denied entry to the stadium and refunds will not be given.

Maccabi fans will enter the stadium through gates J and K there will be access between the lower and upper tiers in those sections and throughout the seating areas.

Maccabi Tel Aviv on Saturday backed up their midweek success in the 3-0 win over Bnei Yehuda with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Hapoel Kfar Sava at Bloomfield.

There is just over a week to go before the big clash with second-placed Maccabi Haifa at Sami Ofer stadium and the 7-0 goal difference tally will be a confidence booster for the boys in yellow and blue.

The victory over Kfar Sava was the first for almost two years since four different players scored in the same match. It was last achieved in January 2017 when Maccabi beat Hapoel Raanana 4-1.

The win was also the 11th year in a row that Maccabi have ended the calendar year with a league victory, a record that began in 2009 and is peerless among Israeli clubs.

Maccabi’s continued impressive defensive record continues and Daniel Tenenbaum has kept a clean sheet in 15 out of 16 matches this season. The club’s goal difference is also daunting, at 28-1.

Yonatan Cohen continues to rack up impressive stats too and he added an assist to the three he had against Bnei Yehuda and now leads the league with six to add to the six goals he has scored. 

Omer Atzili is another Maccabi forward with impressive stats and although he played for 72 minutes on Saturday, he made one assist and scored once, a third goal in two matches. 

The other strikers also cashed in and Itay Shechter and Chico Ofoedu also scored, respectively their third and fifth goals of the season.

Midfielder Dan Glazer had two telling passes that led to goals against Kfar Sava, while in defence Enric Saborit won 10 of 14 tackles with opponents, Eitan Tibi was nine from 13 and Jair Amador was five from six. Jair led with 13 dispossessions and Saborit had 10.

Maccabi Tel Aviv striker Itay Shechter, who scored the first goal in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Hapoel Kfar Sava was in good spirits after the victory at Bloomfield and he talked to reporters about the wake-up call in the State Cup defeat to Hapoel Umm El Fahm and what to expect for the next game against Maccabi Haifa on January 6.

“We played well against Bnei Yehuda (in the 3-0 win mid-week). We weren’t spectacular but we did well.”

“For me, as a striker, to score gives me confidence after a period in which I alternated between the bench and the pitch. We are very happy with this win. We can celebrate now for a day or two after beating Kfar Sava but then it will be back to the hard grind.”

“The loss to Umm El Fahm stunned us a little and I think that there are times in football when you need to be punished in order to be spurred into greater action. It’s has happened to bigger clubs than Maccabi Tel Aviv and we weren’t expecting it, but a club like Maccabi is big enough to get over such things and we look ahead now to more success.”

“Umm El Fahm may be from a lower league but they have good players and I don’t underestimate them. Sometimes you don’t expect surprises and it’s hard to explain when they occur but such things have happened in far bigger leagues like in England, Germany and Spain.”

Shechter said good preparation and humility would be needed for next Monday’s clash with second-placed Maccabi Haifa at Sami Ofer Stadium. Haifa are just three points behind Maccabi in the TASE Premier League standings and the result will be crucial in the title race.

“Before a ‘match of the season’ you have to come prepared but we will have to be humble too. We can review how we did talk after the game. We must do our bit and the media can criticise afterwards.”

The striker said that the IFA Disciplinary Court to punish the vast majority of Maccabi supporters for the actions of a few unruly culprits who were caught after their actions during the Tel Aviv Derby was unjust.

“I hope the decision to punish Maccabi fans for the few who misbehaved during the Derby can be changed and I hope it will be. Those who were to blame were caught and there is no sense in punishing other decent and law-abiding fans. Bloomfield is a fortress for us with the help of the support of our loyal fans.”

Yonatan Cohen’s impressive form for Maccabi Tel Aviv continued on Saturday as the forward scored the spectacular third goal after setting up Omer Atzili’s strike in the 4-0 victory.

“I’m happy that we won and we look forward to the next challenge. Every team has its ups and downs, we are now getting better after a leaner spell, so it’s great to have many opportunities to score and it’s even better when you win in this manner,” he told reporters after the match.

Cohen said he was pleased to be back in the lineup after being sidelined briefly by coach Vladimir Ivic.

“The coach is the one who decides on the lineup and I accept whatever the decision is. Everything is okay now and I’m happy to be playing, scoring and helping others to score. I just wish I had been able to have more chances but one goal and an assist isn’t bad.”

Maccabi’s next league clash is against Maccabi Haifa and Cohen added: “It’s another three points, it won’t determine the outcome of the championship but we will be totally ready and committed.”