The year  was 1965. Two Tel Aviv sides met head-to-head in the Israel State Cup Final with Maccabi coming into the match as the defending Cup holders. The Yellow-and-Blue got onto the scoreboard first as Moshe Asis scored in the 25th minute, however the Oranges drew even before the break.

The final then headed into extra time and Rafi Baranes gave Maccabi the lead. There were plenty of players who graced the pitch in that final but one player was head and shoulders above everyone else. Haim Levine, the Maccabi keeper who put on a magnificent performance that led to the club hoisting the Cup for the second straight year.

Haim  Levine was born 79 years ago today, March 3, 1937 and his name became synonymous with the all time great keepers as he collected two Championships and four State Cups. Due to his uncanny abilities and the fact that he wore a dark colored uniform he became to be known as the “Black Panther”. Levine played for Maccabi Tel Aviv between 1960-1969 in what was the best era of his goalkeeping career.

In addition to playing for Maccabi, the shot stopper also donned the keepers shirt for Hapoel Petach Tikva, Hapoel Kfar Saba, Hapoel Hadera, Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Jerusalem. Levine made his Israel National Team debut in a 5:0 loss to the Brazil National Team and took part in all of the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games. In total he played in 22 Israel National Team matches.

One of the recent sweet memories for all Yellow-and-Blue fans was the State Cup victory back in the month of May. With the Toto Cup already in the trophy cabinet and the league championship almost sewed up, all that was left for 2014/15 was to win their third title of the season, one that had eluded them for over a decade.

Hapoel Beer Sheva was the opponent as Sammy Ofer Stadium hosted Pako Ayesratan’s crew and their magical display. Words can’t even describe what happened that evening so here’s a gallery from the match that will be forever etched into every Yellow-and-Blue fan’s memory.

Two years ago this week, the Yellow-and-Blue made history in Europe at the Stade Chaban-Delmas when Maccabi faced French side Bordeaux FC in the Europa League. After drawing 0:0 against APOEL Nicosia, Paula Sousa and his players came to France to play in one of the toughest home stadiums where they were able to turnaround a deficit and pick up their first win in the Europa League.

Maccabi began the match with a wave of attacks by Eran Zahavi, Rada Prica, Barak Itzhaki and Omri Altman as they continuously threatened Bordeaux ‘keeper Kevin Olimpa but came up empty each time. It took some time for the hosts to get into the game but they did as well when Diego Rolan and Maxime Poundje had chances on Maccabi’s ‘keeper Juan Pablo who was up to the task to keep the first half scoreless.

The second half began on the wrong foot for Maccabi as the now Maccabi Haifa player Ludovic Obraniak led the way for Bordeaux to take a 1:0 lead on a goal that was headed in by the Brazilian Jussie. However, Maccabi began to turn up the offense looking for the equalizer that would finally come in the 71st minute when Zahavi sent a deep ball to Prica who passed it to Itzhaki on the right. Number 10 knew exactly what to do and scored an easy goal putting the ball behind Olimpa and draw the Yellow-and-Blue even.

Just eight minutes later history was made in France. Prica sent the ball to a streaking Dor Micha who had come on for Mahran Radi in the 65th minute as Micha would use the outside part of his boot to put the ball into the Bordeaux goal and give Maccabi a 2:1 lead that they would not relinquish at the Stade Chaban-Delmas for their historic win.

The Champions League returns to Israel. After a long absence of Israeli representatives in this illustrious competition, Maccabi Tel Aviv hosts Dynamo Kiev this evening at 21:45 on Matchday Two of the Champions League Group Stages. All the fans know what’s in store this evening, so let’s take a look back into the recent past and revisit the last time these two clubs played each other.

In 2011/12 Maccabi Tel Aviv participated in the Europa League Group Stages and were drawn to play the Ukrainian side. The first match was held at Bloomfield Stadium in Israel and Moti Ivanir was the coach of a team that featured some current Yellow-and-Blue players including, Yoav Ziv, Gal Alberman, Barak Itzhaki and Dor Micha who scored the tying goal as a substitute at the end of the first half. Micha’s goal wiped out Kiev’s early lead on a 9th minute strike by Ideye Brown putting the visitors on the scoreboard first.

The match ended in a 1:1 draw leaving all the players and fans thirsting for another tight encounter between the clubs and that’s exactly what we got on the final Matchday when Maccabi visited Kiev with a different coach on the sidelines, Nir Levin from the Yellow-and-Blue Youth Department.

Levin would coach his first game in Europe and it was one that will go down in the record books as a match that will never be forgotten with so many goals and momentum swings. Just like the previous game, Kiev struck first on an own goal by Sheran Yeini. Olexandr Aliyev’s free-kick was headed by Leandro Almeida towards the goal and was diverted into the bottom left-hand corner by the Maccabi captain at the last second to go ahead 1:0. The hosts would double their lead soon after when in the 17th minute Betao found Oleh Gusev deep down the left side with a long ball as the Kiev captain scored to put the home side up 2:0. Maccabi headed into halftime down by two but still with the hope that a comeback was in the cards.

In the 47th minute, Moshiko Lugassi’s fantastic pass sent Eliran Atar alone in on the goal, but the striker was pulled down by Leandro Almeida for a straight red card leaving Kiev with only 10-men. The ensuing free kick taken by Gal Alberman would rebound off the Kiev wall directly to Omer Vered who scored to cut the lead to 2:1. Just seven minutes later Dynamo lost another player to a red card when Yevhen Khacherid got tied up with Yeini and was shown red for his efforts reducing the already short-handed Kiev to 9-men.

Eliran Atar would then draw Maccabi even six minutes later as he came off the left wing into the box and his shot would bounce right before ‘keeper Maxym Koval and into the goal to tie the game up at 2:2. As the match approached the 75th minute, substitute Monas Dabbur would give the guests a short lived 3:2 lead when he stole the ball from the Kiev defense and easily slotted home Maccabi’s third goal of the match. However, Gusev’s second goal of the game would draw the two sides even at 3:3.

In the closing minutes, Maccabi came close to registering the win but it wasn’t meant to be as both clubs are still deadlocked, at least until tonight at Sammy Ofer Stadium.