By beating Hapoel Beersheba 2-0 in the TASE Premier League clash at Bloomfield on Monday, Maccabi Tel Aviv stands peerless at the top of the standings with 20 points.
The win over the southerners included a number of important milestones for Vladimir Ivic and his charges after they secured an eighth consecutive win since the start of the season without conceding a goal.
By keeping a clean sheet for eight straight matches, Maccabi have set a new record for not conceding a goal since the start of a season, a record hitherto held by Hapoel Yahud, whose goal was breached in the 58th minute of the eighth round of action in the 1981-82 season.
The series of clean sheets actually began in the last round of last season when Maccabi beat Hapoel Beersheba 4-0, so the string stands at nine.
The mark has been achieved on five other occasions: Maccabi Haifa in 2004-05 and 2009-10, Beitar Jerusalem in 1971-72 and 1973-74 and Rishon Lezion in 1980-81.
The overall record for clean sheets was achieved during the 1988-89 season by Maccabi Haifa.
Maccabi have amassed 20 points so far this season, which equals the same number achieved at this stage last season. More points were accrued on three previous occasions: 24 points in 1993-94 and 21 points in 2013-14 and 1995-96.
Of note individually, Itay Shechter became the first Maccabi player to score a goal at the new Bloomfield Stadium. It was his first league strike of the season. Maccabi’s previous goals at the new Bloomfield were own goals, scored by Terrence Sainsbury of Maccabi Haifa, and Loay Taha of Beersheba, the first goal on Monday.
Enric Saborit was the outstanding player for Maccabi, working both wings and he delivered two telling passes, as did Dor Micha and Dan Glazer. Saborit also dispossessed the opposition on 16 occasions, the most by any player on the night. Glazer was also outstanding, winning the ball on 18 occasions, including eight dispossessions.
