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WHo will win the title?

  • Maccabi Haifa

    Votes: 3 60.0%
  • Hapoel Tel Aviv

    Votes: 1 20.0%
  • Maccabi Netanya

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Beitar Jerusalem

    Votes: 1 20.0%

Who will win the title?

2K views 25 replies 4 participants last post by  berko 
#1 ·
Ten rounds to go, many important games to come and only 5 points separates the first place and fourth place. Special ingredients for an exciting finish of this 2008/2009 Ligat Ha´AL. The great question, who will win this tight contest?

For now we have:

1) Maccabi Haifa 45 points
2) Hapoel Tel Aviv 41 points
3) Maccabi Netanya 40 points
4) Beitar Jerusalem 40 points

My description and opinion:

Maccabi Haifa: Has led the league during almost all season long. Most stable team until now justifying its first place, but the truth is, many still doubt about Elisha Levy guiding this team to the wire, the team hasn´t being playing lately and the fans aren´t still so confident. IMO the squad is perfectly capable of keeping the the first spot. Katan and Davidovich is good form will be important with their experience, but the youngsters are the ones expected to make the difference such as Golasa and Rafaelov.

Hapoel Tel Aviv: The reds weren´t expected to be fighting for the title this season. The summer wasn´t one of the bests with some doubtful signings such as some players from relegated side Kfar Saba. But the team had a a good mix of experience and youngsters which gave result under the guidance of Eli Guttman. Hapoel should be observed closely.

Maccabi Netanya: IMO the best team in the first half of the season. Very consistent, with good tactical games and solid defending implemented by Lothar Matthaus. The diamonds still have chances, but from the four contenders they are the ones on the poorest form now. From the second half of the season, great games against the big teams and poor results against the small ones, a perfect sign that Netanya is not really ready to deal with the pressure of being the leaders, prefering to underdogs. Matthaus will have a lot of work to make Netanya win the title after many years.

Beitar Jerusalem: The current champions and with an impressive sprint. The so called "mercenary team" in the beggining of the season after the disastrous return leg against Wisla Krakow in the CL qualifiers, has restored Beitar`s soul. The team is playing good football and players like Itzhaki and Baruchyan are returning to top form. From all the contenders the team who is on the highest form and with the well known warm fans Beitar are very much open for the title race.

My vote is between Haifa and Beitar, but since i have to choose one, i will go with Haifa since they were more stable during the season, but i wouldn´t surprised by any other contender winning the title, especially Beitar.
 
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#2 ·
Well, im sticking with my boys from Netanya. They are only 5pts behind so its still possible.

Now, if the question were Which team would Israel want representing them in the Champions League, then I would have to say Haifa.

If Beitar wins the league, i really hope they withdraw from the CL qualifying instead of embarrassing Israeli football with another disgusting performance.

Haifa is the CL team of Israel. Netanya, I think, would do well in the Europa league. So for the benefit of the UEFA coefficients, I'd rather have Haifa win and Netanya come second.
 
#3 ·
Haifa the team for the CL and Hapoel for Uefa Cup:smileani:
Maybe Beitar would have more luck in Uefa Cup and could reach the group stage and so could Netanya make it.
This weekend we will already have a great clash: Netanya vs Beitar in the Kufsa.
 
#4 ·
Lior,

Once your apes loses to us this upcoming RD..you will rethink :)

A MIZRAHIM MESHUGAYIM WILL RISE!
 
#5 ·
Haifa ended in a goaless draw against Roni Levi´s Maccabi Petah Tikva. Hapoel had a lot of trouble against Bnei Yehuda, but collected the three points in a 2-1 win.
In one hour Netanya hosts Beitar in what should be a very good match. Now that Haifa failed to win this round the game grows in importance.
 
#6 ·
Well, Netanya has done it. Shalev Mensahe scored to give Matthaus a valuable 1-0 victory which positons the team only three points behind Haifa.
This season, always when no one believed in Netanya they surprised and won. The same happens now and in a crucial moment. They are more than alive in the title race and this was only the first game between the four contenders.

Standings look like this:

1) Maccabi Haifa 46 points
2) Hapoel Tel Aviv 44 points
3) Maccabi Netanya 43 points
4) Beitar Jerusalem 40 points
5) Bney Yehuda 34 points
6) SC Ashdod 32 points
7) Maccabi Petah Tikva 31 points
8) Maccabi Tel Aviv 27 points
9) Hapoel Petah Tikva 26 points
10)Bnei Sakhnin 22 points
11)Ironi Kiriat Shmona 20 points
12)Hakoach Ramat Gan 18 points

Next games:

Maccabi Petah Tikva - Hapoel Tel Aviv
SC Ashdod - Maccabi Haifa
Beitar Jerusalem - Hakoach Ramat Gan
Hapoel Petah Tikva - Bnei Sakhnin
Bnei Yehuda - Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Tel Aviv - Ironi Kiriat Shmona

Tricky games for them all, Ashdod plays an offensive game and has scored the most goals in the league, but its defense is the worst. Haifa should be careful. Hapoel plays Maccabi Petah Tikva away, tough match, but they don´t have any aspiritation this season, neither relegation, neither Europe. Beitar plays desperate Hakoah Ramat at Teddy, in theory an easy game, but this is the same who stopped Netanya last week and are willing to fight for their survival.
Netanya must be ready for another battle this time against Bnei Yehuda who are in a good moment.
 
#7 ·
Cant believe Beitar screwed up again!?!??!

I thought Hapoel was gonna tie 1-1 and we would be close with a win...
Ruven Attar...lech abayta ya morrokayi echad! :mad:
 
#8 ·
Don´t worry Kappa, Beitar is only 6 points behind Haifa and they will still play against them. Many things will still happen. But definitely this was a game to boost the moral and Netanya got what they needed. Beitar still has the strength to overcome, Netanya with a loss wouldn´t.
 
#9 ·
:mad: ill personally burn their stadium before they tear it down in netanya.

They are moving next year? right?
 
#10 ·
Well, after the dissapointing results from the NT against Greece we turn back the attentions to our league.

Hapoel Tel Aviv beat Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-1, while Beitar Jerusaem cruised pass Hakoah Ramat Gan at Teddy, 4-0, only to give the pressure on Haifa that faces SC Ashdod tommorow in the south. Netanya lost to Bnei Yehuda 2-0, but still has hopes.

Not counting the Haifa game against Ashdod, the table looks like this.

Hapoel Tel Aviv 47
Maccabi Haifa 46
Beitar Jerusalem 43
Maccabi Netanya 43
 
#11 ·
BEITAR IS BACK BABY :)

WE WANT A PIECE OF THE LEAUGE!
i cant believe Hapoel TA is 1st...digusting world :mad:
 
#12 ·
Not anymore. Haifa beat Ashdod today 3-0 and regained the lead. The difference is still small. haifa leads with 49 points, Hapoel comes right behind with 47, while Beitar share 43 points in third and fourth respectively.

Next round:

Maccabi Haifa vs Hapoel Petah Tikva
Maccabi Netanya vs Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Tel Aviv vs SC Ashdod
Beitar Jerusalem vs Bnei Yehuda
Sakhnin vs Maccabi Tel Aviv
Kakoach Ramat Gan vs Ironi Kiriat Shmona

All of the contenders play at home. Tricky games for Beitar and Netanya. I guess Beitar will have some problems in first half, but in the second their talent and pressure will make the deal. I see Netanya having a very hard time against Roni Levi and Maccabi Petah Tikva. I predict a narrow win for Matthaus boys or a draw.
SC Ashdod is very unpredictable team, but Hapoel is looking solid and playing at Bloomfield should give them the necessary edge. Haifa won´t face problems against Hapoel Petah Tikva.

In other games, Kirisat Shmona and Hakoach play a life or death game against relegation zone and Maccabi Tel Aviv wii try to find some motivation for this remainder of season as it visits the still threatened Sakhnin.
 
#13 ·
Netanya could have said today good bye to their title aspirations after losing at home against an organized Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-1. Matthaus boys proved to be powerless and their attack has been a problem since it doesn´t score much.
Now for Jammer and the diamonds, only a European spot to save the season. This means a fight for a third place, probably with Beitar, or a winning the State Cup in which the team has reached the quarter finals.

Meanwhile, both Haifa and Hapoel won their matches. Haifa needed a dramatic equalizer two minutes from time to beat Hapoel Petah Tikva 2-1. Shimon Abuhatzira scored with only 49 seconds for the visitors. Shlomi Arbeitman equalized midway through second half and rightback Eyal Meshumar in a long range shot gave the prcious victory for the greens.

Hapoel beat SC Ashdod in Bloomfield with a little help from referee Meir Levi who confirmed Samuel yeboah goal after the ball didn´t cross the line completely. The visitors were also denied a leagl goal dissalowed by the ref in a alleged offside.

Maccabi Tel Aviv cruised pass Sakhnin in a 3-0 victory at Doha stadium. Maccabi scored in the first half with Moshiko Mishaelof. Right before the break Scott Sili was sent off. The decision made Maccabi staff angry which caused Nimni to be sent off aswell. Lior jean received second yellow card and Maccabi were reduced to nine men during all the second half, but that wasn´t an obstacle for the team score other two goals, Mishaleof added another for his tally and Dolee Johnson gave final numbers to the game.

In the game of relegation desperates, Hakoach Ramat Gan beat Kiriat Shmona 1-0, goal from Barak Badash. The result caused Eli Cohen to resign. Ran Ben Shimon will be most likely his substitute.

On Monday, Beitar hosts Bnei Yehuda in Teddy Stadium, looking forward not to lose Haifa and Hapoel from their view.
 
#14 ·
I think Netanya is going to get fourth place, especially if Beitar beats Bnei Yehuda.

I think the four teams that I would like to see represent Israel in Uefa competitions are, Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Beitar Jerusalem, and Bnei Yehuda. I guess Haifa and Hapoel will battle it out for that champions league spot.
 
#15 ·
I believe the four first teams deserve to represent Israel next season. Netanya is not through a good moment right now and lost a bit of air in this tight contention. They still have chances playing in the State Cup, they will host Sakhnin in the quarter finals. Bnei Yehuda are playing better, but you have to think that they won´t have the same investments and preparation as Netanya will in the summer.
 
#17 ·
Beitar Jerusalem 2-2 Bnei Yehuda.

Final score at Teddy and apparently Beitar has been another club to withdraw from the title race. Amit Ben Shushan scored first, Moyal and Tzairi made the turnaround, but Toto Tamuz came from the bench to level the score.

Beitar now is 8 points from leaders Haifa, with 7 rounds to go. Anything is possibli, but 8 points are very tough to cut at this stage.
Bnei Yehuda on the other hand are in excellent form and are continuing to cause troubles to the big clubs. The team has consolidated itself in fifth place and depending on results could even reach a place in the Intertoto Cup.
 
#18 ·
Beitar Jerusalem beat Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-0, Idan Tal on a penalty kick and Barak Itzhaki scored for the team of the capital. Reuven Atar and its pupils have still not given up the title race.
In another important match, Hapoel Tel Aviv had little creativity and a lot of luck in beating Hapoel Petah Tikva in a score they like very much: 1-0. Douglas Da Silva was the scorer that at least keeps the reds one day on top since Haifa faces Maccabi Tel Aviv tommorow and in a very intresting game in Bloomfield Stadium. More than 5,000 Haifa fans are expected to make the trip south to Tel Aviv to support the club.
In other games, an already dismotivated Netanya were held in goaless draw in Ashdod. Bnei Yehuda continued their good form beating desperate Hakoach 1-0 and could already think in taking the fourth place of Netanya.
Ran Ben Shimon didn´t start well in his return to Kiriat Shmona as he saw his side lose to also strugglers Sakhnin 2-0 at Doha.
 
#20 ·
I hope that MTA can contain the red punks a little so Beitar can slip up :)
 
#22 ·
:) We can make some magic i hope. We beat them this year
 
#23 ·
Maccabi Haifa 2-1 Ironi Kiriat Shmona
Maccabi Netanya 1-0 Hapoel Petah Tikva
Beitar Jerusalem 2-1 SC Ashdod
Hakoach Ramat Gan 1-1 Sakhnin
Bnei Yehuda 1-1 Maccabi Petah Tikva

Today the great derby between Maccabi and Hapoel. The pressure is all on the red side of Tel Aviv, especially after wins of Haifa and Beitar on this round.

Standings:

1) Maccabi Haifa 56 points
2) Hapoel Tel Aviv* 53
3) Beitar Jerusalem 50
4) Maccabi Netanya 47
5) Bnei Yehuda 42
6) Maccabi Petah Tikva 35
7) Maccabi Tel Aviv* 34
8) SC Ashdod 33
9) Hapoel Petah Tikva 27
10) Sakhnin 27
11) Hakoach Ramat Gan 22
12) Ironi Kiriat Shmona 20

*one game less

Reminding there are 5 rounds left to go and decisive games between the contenders yet to come. The closure should very entertaining.
 
#24 ·
And the derby ends 1-1.

Vincent Eneyema (Hapoel goalkeeper) scored from the spot in the 33rd minute to give the reds the advantage, but in 77th minute Yossi Shivhon equalized to give Maccabi the draw and to block the way of bitter rivals to reach first place.
 
#25 ·
Why the the GK score? Pentalty?
 
#26 ·
Well apparently he likes to practice free kicks and has a a good performance.
It is more common nowadays having some keepers adventuring in this area. We had Chilavert being a "pioneer" or ar least the one who attracted attention first. Now we have Rogerio Ceni from Sao Paulo, Hans Jorg Butt from Germany and some others.
 
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