Two victories at the start of the season with 11 goals scored and none conceded is the best start to a season in the clubs’ history.
Maccabi scored four goals after 25 minutes, something which happened only 8 times in the league’s history. Maccabi did this only once in the past during a 12-0 victory over Hapoel Balfouria in 1955.
Only four clubs scored 3 goals in the space of four minutes, with Maccabi doing so once in a 6-0 win over Beitar Tel Aviv in the 1992/93 season. Meir Melika (18), Nir Klinger (19) and Avi Nimni (21) all scored within 4 minutes.
Of the 71 seasons since the State of Israel was founded, this is the 21st season that Maccabi begins a season with 2 victories. Since the 2016/17 season and including the two seasons under Vadimir Ivic (2018/19 and 2019/20) Maccabi didn’t start a season with 2 victories.
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s class of 1951/52 – a 9-1 victory over Maccabi Rishon Lezion and a 2-2 draw against Maccabi Rehovot, was the last team to score 11 goals in the opening two league matches.
The 6-0 victory over Hapoel Hadera which came on the back of the 5-0 victory over Maccabi Bnei Reineh was the first time in Israeli history that a club began the first two matches in double figures and a clean sheet.
Maccabi is the second club ever to score four first half goals in two successive matches. The first was Hapoel Petah Tikva in October 1955.
Over the past 20 seasons, Maccabi recorded a 6-0 league victory only once, against Maccabi Haifa in the 2015/16 season. This was Eran Zahavi’s final league match before leaving the club and moving abroad.
Monday’s victory over Hadera in Netanya was the sixth time in succession Maccabi beat their opponents whilst keeping a clean sheet.
The 11 goals Maccabi scored in the league are shared between seven players. Djordje Jovanovic (3), Oscar Gloukh (2), Stipe Perica (2), Eran Zahavi, Avi Rikan, Enric Saborit and Dor Peretz. Seven different scorers after two league matches equals the league’s record Maccabi set in 1955 and Maccabi Haifa equaled in 2003.
