Once again a Maccabi Tel Aviv victory has provided the statisticians with plenty of food for thought. Here follows just a taste . . .
Open goal
Before this week's match against Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Tel Aviv hadn't had a goalkeeper sent off since April 2011 against Hapoel Beer Sheva, when Liran Shtrauber was dismissed three minutes from time. Now as then it was current team captain Sheran Yeini "deputising" between the uprights, the second time he's found himself defending the Maccabi Tel Aviv sanctuary.
A striker's dozen
For striker Rade Prica, appearing against Maccabi Netanya was a first, and the twelfth Israeli Premier League team the Swede has scored against since joining the club in January 2013.
Doubles anyone?
Prica's brace comes four years after the last Maccabi Tel Aviv player scored twice against Maccabi Netanya. Then it was another striker, Eliran Atar, in a 0-2 Maccabi Tel Aviv win at Netanya's now retired Sar-Tov ("Kufsa") Stadium.
Many hands make light work
When defender Eytan Tibi scored his goal against Maccabi Netanya last night, he became the ninth Maccabi Tel Aviv player to find the net this season.
Above average
Those three goals scored against Maccabi Netanya helped maintain Maccabi Tel Aviv's impressive season average of more than three goals per match. You'd have to go back 21 years to find a Maccabi side scoring more at this stage of the season.
Using their heads
Two of Maccabi's three goals against Netanya were headers, and believe it or not the last time that happened was almost five years ago, when midfielders Guillermo Israilevich and Yossi Shivhon both headed in against Maccabi Ahi Nazareth in a match that ended in a 3-3 draw.
Wrong – headed
Strictly speaking, Maccabi Tel Aviv scored three headed goals in that match against Ahi Nazareth. Regrettably, defender Niso Kapiloto's effort went into the opposition goal.
Fashion statement
Eleven years have passed since Maccabi Tel Aviv wore a kit of blue on top and yellow on bottom. In the 2002/03 season the opponent too was Maccabi Netanya but then Maccabi Tel Aviv lost 2-0. Who says that clothes make the man?
And looking ahead . . .
Table manners
Maccabi Tel Aviv go into their next league match against Ironi Kiryat Shmona trailing them in the Israeli Premier league table. The last time Maccabi faced an opponent above them in the table was in matchweek 6 of the 2012/13 season, when they played then league leaders Ashdod FC.
Omen or Amen?
In the first four of the six Israeli Premier League seasons Maccabi have faced Kiryat Shmona, the northerners have won the first encounter. The last two seasons Maccabi Tel Aviv prevailed. No need to remind you who finished on top of the league in those two seasons. An omen perhaps?
