History in Short
The former defensive back moved from Beitar Jerusalem to the Yellow & Blue prior to the start of the 1989/90 season in a deal that also sent Uri Malmilian to Maccabi in one of the biggest player moves of the time. Cohen picked up a championship and two State Cups before arriving at Kiryat Shalom and proved to be a very important piece of the Maccabi teams at the beginning of the 1990’s.
The offense provided by the defender was at times unthinkable especially during the championship year of 1991/92 when Cohen won the League MVP with 17 goals and added another pair in the State Cup where the Yellow & Blue eventually fell in the Finals. Avi Cohen the Jerusalemite played five seasons for Maccabi and will always be remembered as one of the greatest defensive backs who laced up their boots for the Yellow & Blue. His career was cut short at the age of 32 when he retired due to a nagging back injury.
Titles
Championships: 1991/92, 1994/95
State Cup: 1993/94
Toto Cup: 1992/93
Top Moment
“Goal! Avi Cohen has scored the first Israeli goal in the European Cup, give him a hand!”
As we mentioned earlier, Avi Cohen The Jerusalemite was a defender that spent plenty of time in the opposition’s side of the pitch. In the 1992/93 season, Cohen made his mark in the history books after heading in the first ever Israeli Club goal in European competition when Maccabi played Valletta from Malta in the first match between the clubs. Down by a goal, Cohen, who was wearing the captain’s armband, headed in a corner kick leaving no chance for keeper to stop it. Two minutes to time, Cohen also assisted on Avi Nimni’s marker that helped Maccabi become the first Israeli team to record a victory in the European Cup.
