Yaron Oz, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s energetic midfielder of the 1970’s, had the reputation as the leader of central midfield who exerted his influence upon the ability of the team at both ends of the pitch. He made his maiden appearance for the senior squad aged 18 as a substitute in the 2-1 State Cup victory over Hapoel Lod in September 1970, and shared in Maccabi’s triumph in the 1969/70 State Cup, whose final stages had been delayed till the beginning of the 1970/71 season. Later that season the young Oz was also part of the Maccabi squad that played in the Asian Club Championship Cup, and came on as a substitute in the match against the Indian side FC Punjab Police in the group stage of the competition that Maccabi Tel Aviv would ultimately go on to win for the first in their history.  

Oz played for ten seasons at Maccabi Tel Aviv and won during that time a total of six titles: Three league championships, two State Cups and one Asian Club Championship Cup. In addition to the abovementioned IFA and Asian Club Championship Cups of 1970 and 1971 respectively, Oz won another State Cup in 1976/77 and championship titles in the ’71/’72, ’76/’77 and ’78/’79 seasons. Oz scored a goal in a 1-1 draw in a Tel Aviv Derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv in October 1972, his first in a total of eleven that he would score for the club throughout his career.

Goal scoring may not have been Oz’s trump card, but his exceptional ability to direct play from the centre of midfield did not escape the attention of the then head coach of the Israel national team, Edmond Schmilovich. He gave Oz a call-up in February 1973 for his maiden appearance in a 1-1 draw against Argentina. In all Yaron Oz made 26 appearances for the national side, scored two goals and qualified with them for the 1976 Olympic Games, where he scored one of those goals against Mexico. At the end of the 1978/79 season Oz moved on for a successful stint playing for Maccabi Jaffa.

 

pictures courtesy of the Israel Football Association archives

tbkAAs

Benny Tabak was one of the greatest strikers in the history of Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club. He wore the number 15 on his jersey, which earned him the nickname “F-15” due to his dizzying speed and spectacular goal scoring abilities. In November 1972, aged 16, he made his maiden appearance for the club against Maccabi Petah Tikva and six weeks later entered for the first, but certainly not the last, time the record books of Maccabi Tel Aviv goal scorers with his maiden strike against HaKoach Ramat Gan.

In his first seasons on the senior squad he did not score many goals but in the 1975/76 season all that began to change as he reached a season total of 15 goals. The following season Tabak was already making a significant contribution to the club’s efforts and was rewarded with the double of league title and the Israel Football Association (IFA) Cup. In the league, which Maccabi won by three points ahead of of Maccabi Jaffa, he scored 15 goals and in the IFA Cup competition he netted another six in five appearances, including the winning goal in the final against Beitar Tel Aviv. In his 16 year career with the club Benny Tabak was the spearhead of the Maccabi attack and figured prominently in all the titles Maccabi Tel Aviv won during his tenure. In all, this dynamic striker scored 121 league goals, making him Maccabi Tel Aviv’s third all-time highest goal scorer.

In the championship season of 1978/79 Tabak scored 15 goals in all competitions, including five in six appearances in an Intertoto Cup competition that would ultimately be won by Maccabi Netanya. He maintained his season average scoring record well into the early 1980’s, barren years for the club so far titles were concerned. In the 1984/85 season he decided to take on a new challenge, with the “F-15” flying on to Major League Soccer in the U.S.A with the club Sporting Kansas City, where he scored 18 goals in 44 appearances.

One season in the land of the free was enough for Tabak, who returned to Maccabi and one season later lead them to yet another title. The 1986/87 IFA Cup final was an exciting affair against Maccabi Haifa that ended in a penalty shoot-out after 120 minutes of play left the two sides at three goals each. It was Benny Tabak who scored the decisive penalty and gave the start sign for the Cup celebrations. The following season saw Tabak win his fifth and final title for Maccabi Tel Aviv, scoring in a 2-1 victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv in yet another Maccabi IFA Cup final victory.

After his retirement from active play, Benny Tabak returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv in other capacities. He served as Youth Team manager between the years of 2004 and 2007 and returned to the club for the 2013/14 season as the club’s first team manager, a position he held until June 2017,  As an Israel national team player, Tabak left his mark with five goals in twelve international appearances, with one standing out in particular. The last time Portugal played in Israel, in October 1981 long before the 3-3 draw in March of 2013, it was Israel that emerged as clear winners, with Benny Tabak’s hat-trick contributing three of the four Israeli goals in a 4-1 victory.