2008–09 Israeli Premier League
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The 2008–09 Israeli Premier League season began on 30 August 2008, and ended on 1 June 2009. Beitar Jerusalem were the defending champions, having won their 6th league title the previous year. Two teams from
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
were promoted at the end of the previous season: Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan and Hapoel Petah Tikva. The two teams
relegated Promotion and relegation is used by sports leagues as a process where teams can move up and down among divisions in a league system, based on their performance over a season. Leagues that use promotion and relegation systems are sometimes call ...
were Hapoel Kfar Saba and Maccabi Herzliya. At a 24 June 2008 IFA administration meeting it was decided that the league would be expanded to 16 clubs for the following season. Due to the expansion, only one team was relegated directly to Liga Leumit, while five clubs were promoted. The eleventh-ranked team played in a play-off match against the sixth-ranked team from Liga Leumit. Maccabi Haifa clinched their 11th title after a 0–2 win against Maccabi Netanya on 23 May 2009.


Teams

Twelve teams took part in the 2008-09 Israeli Premier League season, including ten teams from the 2007-08 season, as well as two teams which were promoted from the 2007-08 Liga Leumit. Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan were promoted as champions of the 2007-08 Liga Leumit. Hapoel Petah Tikva were promoted as runners up. They both returned to the top flight after an absence of one season. Hapoel Kfar Saba and Maccabi Herzliya were relegated after finishing in the bottom two places in the 2007-08 season.


Stadiums and Locations


Managerial changes


Foreign players


League table


Positions by round


Results

The schedule consisted of three rounds. During first two rounds, each team played each other once home and away for a total of 22 matches. The pairings of the third round were then set according to the standings after first two rounds, giving every team a third game against each opponent for a total of 33 games per team.


First and second round


Third round

Key numbers for pairing determination (number marks position after 22 games):


Relegation playoff

Hakoah Ramat Gan Hakoah Maccabi Amidar Ramat Gan Football Club () is an Israeli football club based in Ramat Gan. The club is currently in Liga Alef South division and plays at the Winter Stadium in Ramat Shikma, a neighbourhood of Ramat Gan. History The club was ...
, as the 11th-placed team, faced the 6th-placed
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
team Maccabi Ahi Nazareth in a two-legged playoff.
Hakoah Ramat Gan Hakoah Maccabi Amidar Ramat Gan Football Club () is an Israeli football club based in Ramat Gan. The club is currently in Liga Alef South division and plays at the Winter Stadium in Ramat Shikma, a neighbourhood of Ramat Gan. History The club was ...
lost both games and were relegated to
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
. ----


Season statistics


Scoring

*First goal of the season: Yossi Shivhon for
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
against Bnei Yehuda, 5th minute (30 August 2008) *Last goal of the season: Lior Rafaelov for Maccabi Haifa against Beitar Jerusalem, 58th minute (1 June 2009) *First own goal of the season: Nir Davidovich ( Maccabi Haifa) for F.C. Ashdod, 57th minute (30 August 2008) *Fastest goal in a match: 39 seconds – Thembinkosi Fanteni for Maccabi Haifa against
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
(27 October 2008) *Goal scored at the latest point in a match: 90+5 minutes – Barak Badash for
Hakoah Ramat Gan Hakoah Maccabi Amidar Ramat Gan Football Club () is an Israeli football club based in Ramat Gan. The club is currently in Liga Alef South division and plays at the Winter Stadium in Ramat Shikma, a neighbourhood of Ramat Gan. History The club was ...
against Bnei Yehuda (13 September 2008) *Widest winning margin: 4 goals: ** Hapoel Tel Aviv 4–0 Beitar Jerusalem (9 February 2009) ** Beitar Jerusalem 4–0
Hakoah Ramat Gan Hakoah Maccabi Amidar Ramat Gan Football Club () is an Israeli football club based in Ramat Gan. The club is currently in Liga Alef South division and plays at the Winter Stadium in Ramat Shikma, a neighbourhood of Ramat Gan. History The club was ...
(4 April 2009) *Most goals in a match: 6 goals: **
Hakoah Ramat Gan Hakoah Maccabi Amidar Ramat Gan Football Club () is an Israeli football club based in Ramat Gan. The club is currently in Liga Alef South division and plays at the Winter Stadium in Ramat Shikma, a neighbourhood of Ramat Gan. History The club was ...
2–4 Beitar Jerusalem (20 September 2008) ** F.C. Ashdod 4–2 Bnei Sakhnin (8 November 2008) ** F.C. Ashdod 3–3 Maccabi Netanya (20 December 2008)


Discipline

*First yellow card of the season: Tamir Kahlon for Bnei Yehuda against
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
, 6th minute (30 August 2008) *First red card of the season: Ronnie Gafney for Maccabi Haifa against F.C. Ashdod, 59th minute (30 August 2008) *Most yellow cards in a match: 12 yellow cards – Beitar Jerusalem against Maccabi Haifa (28 September 2008) *Most red cards in a match: 4 red cards – F.C. Ashdod against Ironi Kiryat Shmona (13 September 2008) *Most cards in a match: 15 cards (12 yellow and 3 red)Beitar Jerusalem against Maccabi Haifa (28 September 2008)


Top scorers


See also

*
2008–09 Israel State Cup The 2008–09 Israel State Cup (, ''Gvia HaMedina'') was the 70th season of Israel's nationwide football cup competition and the 55th after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. The competition was won by Beitar Jerusalem F.C., Beitar Jerusale ...
* 2008–09 Toto Cup Al * List of 2008–09 Israeli football transfers


Notes

:A. Biggest away win


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2008-09 Israeli Premier League Israeli Premier League seasons
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
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