Maccabi Tel Aviv will host Maccabi Haifa at the new Bloomfield Stadium on Saturday and preceding the kickoff, the home team will honour is former star striker, Benny Tabak, who later held a managerial role at the club.
In anticipation of the ceremony, we look back at one of Tabak’s most memorable seasons. Tabak was nicknamed the “F-15” after the fighter jet that Israel had acquired at around the same time. 
Tabak took his place in the lineup against hosts Maccabi Haifa at Kiryat Eliezer but things did not start out well, as legendary central defender Avi Cohen put the ball in his own net in the seventh minute. Baruch Maman then added to the visitors’ woes with a second goal in the 23rd minute.
But just when it appeared as one of the main title contenders were setting off on the wrong foot, Maccabi took the initiative and moved into top gear as Tabak surged forward to open his goal-scoring account.
The diminutive Tabak pulled one goal back with his first goal in the 32nd minute, a strike from 10 metres out which was too good for Haifa goalkeeper Shalom Schwartz. With an additional six minutes on the clock, Tabak slotted home a pass from Viki Peretz to level the scores. Peretz put the visitors in the lead in the 76th minute and Tabak completed his hat trick two minutes later. It was a result that made all Maccabi’s rivals sit up and take notice that this was going to be their season, and indeed, it ended in a thrilling league and cup “double.”
