Maccabi Tel Aviv have completed the first phase of the season at the top of the TASE Premier League standings on 33 points after 10 wins and three draws. Last season, Vladimir Ivic’s charges also ended at the top with 33 points, although this time around the goal difference column shows an incredible 20-0 record, while last season it was 31-7.
This season’s first phase record is the club’s second-best ever and since the introduction of three points for a win in 1982-83. Only in 1993-94, after 13 matches, did the club accrue 37 points.
Prior to this season, the lowest number of conceded goals after 13 matches was three, achieved by Hapoel Haifa in 1998-99 and by Maccabi Haifa in 1969-70. Hapoel Yahud ended a first league phase of 13 matches and conceded four goals in 1977-78.
Maccabi have bettered their plus-20 goal difference on three previous occasions after the first phase: in 2018-19, 1995-96 and 1993-94. And on two occasions in the past have they achieved a 100 percent record in away matches in the first phase: 1993-94 and 1953-54.
Maccabi have involved 24 players in this season’s fixtures. Of those, only Daniel Tenenbaum, Eitan Tibi and Dan Glazer have played 13 full matches, 1,170 minutes.
Eight players have scored in the period, with Yonatan Cohen leading all others with five goals, Chico Ofoedu has scored four and Dor Micha three.
Ofoedu, who has been out injured recently, leads the club’s assists column with three, while Glazer, Eyal Golasa and Yonatan Cohen have two each.
Yonatan Cohen, who was not in the squad against Netanya, leads the league with shots on target, at 14, and is fourth in the list with nine telling passes.
Glazer leads the league with 97 tackles, 56 of them successful, and he is second for dispossessing the opposition in their half, with 22. Jair Amador is fourth in the league for total number of dispossessions, at 103.
