2018–19 Israeli Premier League

The 2018–19 Israeli Premier League, also known as Ligat Japanika for sponsorship reasons, was the twentieth season since its introduction in 1999 and the 77th season of top-tier football in Israel. The season began on 25 August 2018 and concluded on 25 May 2019. Hapoel Be'er Sheva were the defending champions.

Israeli Premier League
Season2018–19
Dates25 August 2018 – 25 May 2019
ChampionsMaccabi Tel Aviv
RelegatedMaccabi Petah Tikva
Bnei Sakhnin
Champions LeagueMaccabi Tel Aviv
Europa LeagueMaccabi Haifa
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv
Matches played240
Goals scored599 (2.5 per match)
Top goalscorerIsrael Ben Sahar
(15 goals)
Biggest home winHapoel Tel Aviv 6–0 Maccabi Petah Tikva
(3 March 2019)
Biggest away winBeitar Jerusalem 1–5 Bnei Yehuda
(27 October 2018)
Bnei Sakhnin 0–4 Hapoel Haifa
(19 January 2019)
Hapoel Hadera 0–4 Bnei Yehuda
(10 February 2019)
Highest scoringHapoel Haifa 4–4 Hapoel Be'er Sheva
(4 December 2018)
Longest winning run7 matches
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Longest unbeaten run32 matches
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Longest winless run13 matches
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Longest losing run4 matches
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Hadera
Highest attendance29,988
Maccabi Haifa 1–3 Hapoel Haifa
(1 December 2018)
Total attendance1,430,652 [1]
Average attendance5,925

Teams

A total of fourteen teams were competing in the league, including twelve sides from the 2017–18 season and two promoted teams from the 2017–18 Liga Leumit.

Hapoel Akko and Hapoel Ashkelon were relegated to the 2018–19 Liga Leumit after finishing the 2017–18 Israeli Premier League in the bottom two places.

Hapoel Tel Aviv were promoted as the winners of the 2017–18 Liga Leumit. This ends the team's one-year absence from the top division.

Hapoel Hadera were promoted as the Runner-ups of the 2017–18 Liga Leumit. This marked the return of Hadera to the top division after 39 years of absence.

Stadiums and locations

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Beitar Jerusalem Jerusalem Teddy Stadium[2] 31,733
Bnei Sakhnin Sakhnin Doha Stadium[3] 8,500
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv HaMoshava Stadium,[4] Petah Tikva 11,500
F.C. Ashdod Ashdod Yud-Alef Stadium[5] 7,800
Hapoel Be'er Sheva Be'er Sheva Turner Stadium[6] 16,126
Hapoel Hadera Hadera Netanya Stadium,[7] Netanya 13,610
Hapoel Haifa Haifa Sammy Ofer Stadium[8] 30,942
Hapoel Ra'anana Ra'anana Ramat Gan Stadium,[9] Ramat Gan 13,370
Hapoel Tel Aviv Tel Aviv HaMoshava Stadium,[10] Petah Tikva 11,500
Ironi Kiryat Shmona Kiryat Shmona Kiryat Shmona Stadium[11] 5,300
Maccabi Haifa Haifa Sammy Ofer Stadium[12] 30,942
Maccabi Netanya Netanya Netanya Stadium[13] 13,610
Maccabi Petah Tikva Petah Tikva HaMoshava Stadium[14] 11,500
Maccabi Tel Aviv Tel Aviv Netanya Stadium,[15] Netanya 13,610
HaMoshava Stadium Netanya Stadium Sammy Ofer Stadium
Bnei Yehuda
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Hapoel Hadera
Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Hapoel Haifa
Maccabi Haifa
Doha Stadium Kiryat Shmona Stadium Ramat Gan Stadium
Bnei Sakhnin Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Ra'anana
Teddy Stadium Turner Stadium Yud-Alef Stadium
Beitar Jerusalem Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C. Ashdod

Personnel and sponsorship

Team President Manager Captain Kitmaker Shirt sponsor
Beitar Jerusalem Israel Moshe Hogeg Israel Nir Klinger Israel Idan Vered Givova Appli Check
Bnei Sakhnin Israel Mohammed Abu Yunes Israel Amir Turgeman Israel Khaled Khalaila Joma Scania
Bnei Yehuda Israel Barak Abramov Israel Yossi Abukasis Israel Itzik Azuz Kappa HAP
F.C. Ashdod Israel Jacky Ben-Zaken Israel Avi Bohbot Israel Tom Ben Zaken Nike ——
Hapoel Be'er Sheva Israel Alona Barkat Israel Barak Bakhar Israel Maor Melikson Puma Tadiran
Hapoel Haifa Israel Yoav Katz Israel Haim Silvas Israel Gil Vermouth Joma BOGART
Hapoel Hadera Israel Oren Golan Israel Niso Avitan Israel Menashe Zalka Lotto ——
Ironi Kiryat Shmona Israel Izzy Sheratzky Israel Shimon Hadri Israel Eden Shamir Kappa Ituran
Hapoel Ra'anana Israel Asher Alon Israel Meni Koretski Israel Snir Shuker Givova ME Tel Aviv
Hapoel Tel Aviv Israel Itzik and Sharon Nisanov Israel Kobi Refua Israel Orel Dgani Macron Arkia
Maccabi Haifa Israel Ya'akov Shahar Israel Marco Balbul Israel Neta Lavi Nike Volvo
Maccabi Netanya Israel Eyal Segal Israel Slobodan Drapić Israel Dani Amos Lotto Kesrei Thofa
Maccabi Petah Tikva Israel Amos Luzon Israel Murad Magomedov Israel Naor Peser Macron Panorama North
Maccabi Tel Aviv Canada Mitchell Goldhar Serbia Vladimir Ivić Israel Sheran Yeini —— PenguinPickUp

Foreign players

The number of foreign players were restricted to six per team, while only five could have been registered to a game.[16]

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6
Beitar Jerusalem France Antoine Conte France Ange-Freddy Plumain Ghana Anthony Annan Portugal Afonso Taira Romania Mihai Voduț
Bnei Sakhnin Kosovo Alban Pnishi Nigeria George Akpabio Nigeria Shuaibu Ibrahim Zambia Emmanuel Mbola
Bnei Yehuda Ivory Coast Ismaila Soro Lithuania Emilijus Zubas Republic of the Congo Mavis Tchibota Serbia Fejsal Mulić Slovakia Jakub Sylvestr Spain Carlos Cuéllar
F.C. Ashdod Burkina Faso Issoumaila Lingane France Romain Habran France Johan Martial Ghana Leonard Owusu Niger Seybou Koita Serbia Filip Knežević
Hapoel Be'er Sheva France Kevin Tapoko Netherlands Nigel Hasselbaink Nigeria John Ogu Portugal Miguel Vítor Slovakia Erik Sabo
Hapoel Haifa Lithuania Ernestas Šetkus Moldova Radu Gînsari North Macedonia Risto Mitrevski Romania Gabriel Tamaș Sweden Rasmus Sjöstedt
Hapoel Hadera Brazil Lúcio England Nathan Oduwa Nigeria Austin Ejide Spain David Mateos United States George Fochive
Ironi Kiryat Shmona Albania Valon Ahmedi Brazil Marcus Diniz Guinea Hadji Barry Lithuania Džiugas Bartkus Spain Jorge Morcillo Trinidad and Tobago Levi Garcia
Hapoel Ra'anana Cameroon Ariel Ngueukam Croatia Mirko Oremuš Czech Republic Martin Zeman France Teddy Mézague Ghana Eugene Ansah
Hapoel Tel Aviv Belgium Marvin Peersman Brazil Caio Alves Brazil Claudemir Ghana Emmanuel Boateng Lithuania Nerijus Valskis
Maccabi Haifa Brazil Allyson Cameroon Ernest Mabouka Cameroon Georges Mandjeck Chile Manuel Iturra Netherlands Etiënne Reijnen Turkey Kerim Frei
Maccabi Netanya Albania Jahmir Hyka Croatia Branko Vrgoč Germany Tim Heubach Montenegro Fatos Bećiraj Niger Ali Mohamed
Maccabi Petah Tikva Czech Republic Tomáš Sivok France Franck-Yves Bambock Ivory Coast Kpehi Didier Brossou Panama Armando Cooper Senegal Issa Cissokho Ukraine Anton Bratkov
Maccabi Tel Aviv Nigeria Chikeluba Ofoedu Spain Jair Amador Serbia Uroš Nikolić Serbia Predrag Rajković Spain Enric Saborit

In bold: Players that have been capped for their national team.

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Beitar Jerusalem Benny Ben Zaken 1 June 2018 Pre-season Guy Luzon
Bnei Sakhnin Tal Banin Benny Ben Zaken
F.C. Ashdod Yossi Mizrahi North Macedonia Blagoja Milevski
Maccabi Petah Tikva Sharon Mimer Elisha Levy
Maccabi Tel Aviv Netherlands Jordi Cruyff Left Serbia Vladimir Ivić 1 June 2018
Beitar Jerusalem Guy Luzon Sacked 22 October 2018 13th Nir Klinger 30 October 2018
Hapoel Haifa Nir Klinger Left 25 October 2018 11th Sharon Mimer 31 October 2018
Maccabi Haifa Netherlands Fred Rutten Left 1 November 2018 8th Eli Guttman 8 November 2018
Bnei Sakhnin Benny Ben Zaken Sacked 5 November 2018 14th Amir Turgeman 18 November 2018
F.C. Ashdod North Macedonia Blagoja Milevski Sacked 13 November 2018 13th Yuval Naim 23 November 2018
Hapoel Tel Aviv Kobi Refua Sacked 25 November 2018 12th Ofir Haim 26 November 2018
Maccabi Haifa Eli Guttman Retired 3 December 2018 11th Itay Mordechai (caretaker) 3 December 2018
Maccabi Haifa Itay Mordechai (caretaker) Caretaking spell over 19 December 2018 10th Marco Balbul 19 December 2018
Ironi Kiryat Shmona Haim Silvas Sacked 30 December 2018 10th Tomer Kashtan 30 December 2018
Hapoel Tel Aviv Ofir Haim Sacked 6 January 2019 12th Kobi Refua 6 January 2019
Maccabi Petah Tikva Elisha Levy Sacked 6 January 2019 9th Russia Murad Magomedov (caretaker) 6 January 2019
Maccabi Petah Tikva Russia Murad Magomedov (caretaker) Caretaking spell over 20 January 2019 9th Guy Luzon 20 January 2019
Bnei Sakhnin Benny Ben Zaken Sacked 20 January 2019 13th Georgia (country) Giorgi Daraselia 23 January 2019
F.C. Ashdod Yuval Naim Sacked 26 January 2019 14th Avi Bohbot 19 February 2019
Bnei Sakhnin Georgia (country) Giorgi Daraselia Sacked 5 March 2019 14th Spain Juan Carlos (caretaker) 5 March 2019
Bnei Sakhnin Spain Juan Carlos (caretaker) Caretaking spell over 26 March 2019 14th Israel Eldad Shavit 26 March 2019
Hapoel Haifa Sharon Mimer Sacked 14 April 2019 10th Haim Silvas 17 April 2019
Ironi Kiryat Shmona Tomer Kashtan Sacked 6 May 2019 12th Shimon Hadri 6 May 2019

Regular season

Regular season table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Maccabi Tel Aviv 26 20 6 0 57 12 +45 66 Qualification for the Championship round
2 Maccabi Haifa 26 12 8 6 34 27 +7 44
3 Maccabi Netanya 26 12 7 7 34 29 +5 43
4 Hapoel Be'er Sheva 26 10 9 7 36 32 +4 39
5 Bnei Yehuda 26 10 7 9 39 25 +14 37
6 Hapoel Hadera 26 9 6 11 30 41 11 33
7 Hapoel Haifa 26 7 11 8 42 37 +5 32 Qualification for the Relegation round
8 Hapoel Tel Aviv 26 6 13 7 26 23 +3 31
9 Ironi Kiryat Shmona 26 7 9 10 25 28 3 30
10 Hapoel Ra'anana 26 6 12 8 20 30 10 30
11 Beitar Jerusalem 26 7 8 11 32 37 5 29
12 Maccabi Petah Tikva 26 6 10 10 26 40 14 28
13 F.C. Ashdod 26 5 7 14 20 42 22 22
14 Bnei Sakhnin 26 4 9 13 21 39 18 21
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Matches won; 4) Goals scored; 5) Head-to-head points; 6) Head-to-head goal difference; 7) Head-to-head goals scored; 8) Play-off.[17]

Regular season results

Home \ Away BEI BnS BnY ASH HAH HBS HHA HRA HTA MNE IKS MHA MPT MTA
Beitar Jerusalem 3–2 1–5 4–1 0–1 2–3 1–1 2–0 0–1 1–1 0–0 1–1 0–0 0–2
Bnei Sakhnin 0–0 2–1 4–3 1–2 0–0 0–4 0–0 1–1 0–2 0–3 0–2 0–1 0–0
Bnei Yehuda 0–2 0–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 4–2 3–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 1–1 2–2 1–3
F.C. Ashdod 1–1 2–1 1–0 2–3 1–0 0–3 1–1 1–1 1–4 1–0 0–1 1–1 0–2
Hapoel Hadera 0–3 2–1 0–4 3–2 1–2 2–0 0–0 2–1 2–2 1–0 1–2 3–0 0–2
Hapoel Be'er Sheva 3–1 1–1 0–0 1–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–1 1–1 2–1 0–2 4–1 1–1
Hapoel Haifa 2–2 0–3 0–2 0–1 1–1 4–4 2–2 1–1 5–0 1–1 0–0 4–2 1–3
Hapoel Ra'anana 2–1 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–0 3–1 0–3 0–0 1–2 2–1 1–1 1–0 0–2
Hapoel Tel Aviv 0–3 2–0 3–2 0–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–2 0–0 1–2 6–0 1–1
Maccabi Netanya 3–1 1–1 1–3 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–2 1–0 1–1 1–0 0–0 0–1 1–2
Ironi Kiryat Shmona 2–0 2–2 0–2 0–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 2–3 0–2 1–2
Maccabi Haifa 1–2 2–0 1–0 2–0 3–1 0–0 1–3 0–0 3–2 0–2 2–2 1–2 1–3
Maccabi Petah Tikva 4–1 0–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–0 1–4 0–1 1–2 1–1
Maccabi Tel Aviv 1–0 3–0 2–1 4–0 4–0 3–0 1–1 4–1 0–0 4–1 3–0 2–0 2–0
Source: Israel Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Source:

Positions by round

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526
Maccabi Tel Aviv33112211111111111111111111
Maccabi Haifa1266991012898117910765433233332
Maccabi Netanya141314141213107677856556575644223
Hapoel Be'er Sheva69121311745544443334767775544
Bnei Yehuda111111126333323222222222422455
Hapoel Hadera41221122232334443346356666
Hapoel Haifa15588121113811101065677654567777
Hapoel Tel Aviv107767881112121313141413121212111112121111118
Ironi Kiryat Shmona71285456445557910108888888989
Hapoel Ra'anana849710111310101099118999999101010101010
Beitar Jerusalem13141310131414141314141413121111111010109998911
Maccabi Petah Tikva224334567666878810111212111112121212
F.C. Ashdod58345679111312121213141414141414141313131313
Bnei Sakhnin91010111499121498111011121313131313131414141414
Source:

Championship round

Key numbers for pairing determination (number marks position after 26 games)

Rounds
27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd 34th 35th 36th
1 – 6
2 – 5
3 – 4
1 – 2
5 – 3
6 – 4
2 – 6
3 – 1
4 – 5
1 – 4
2 – 3
6 – 5
3 – 6
4 – 2
5 – 1
6 – 1
5 – 2
4 – 3
2 – 1
3 – 5
4 – 6
6 – 2
1 – 3
5 – 4
3 – 2
4 – 1
5 – 6
6 – 3
2 – 4
1 – 5

Due to 3 teams that play in the Netanya stadium qualifying to this round, and in order to insure that all the last games of this round, can be played in the same time(for purity reasons), the order of the games, has been changed. Affecting fixtures 33,35 and 36.

Rounds
33rd 34th 35th 36th
6 – 3
2 – 4
1 – 5
6 – 2
1 – 3
5 – 4
2 – 1
3 – 5
4 – 6
3 – 2
4 – 1
5 – 6

Championship round table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Maccabi Tel Aviv (C) 36 27 8 1 77 17 +60 89 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
2 Maccabi Haifa 36 16 10 10 46 41 +5 58 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round
3 Hapoel Be'er Sheva 36 15 10 11 48 46 +2 55
4 Maccabi Netanya 36 15 8 13 45 47 2 53
5 Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv 36 14 9 13 56 41 +15 51 Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round
6 Hapoel Hadera 36 12 6 18 43 59 16 42
Source: Israel Football Association, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Matches won; 4) Goals scored; 5) Head-to-head points; 6) Head-to-head goal difference; 7) Head-to-head goals scored; 8) Play-off.[17]
(C) Champions
2018–19 Israeli Premier League champions


Maccabi Tel Aviv
22nd title

Championship round results

Home \ Away BnY HAH HBS MHA MNE MTA
Bnei Yehuda 1–2 2–3 2–2 1–1 0–2
Hapoel Hadera 2–3 1–4 2–0 1–2 0–1
Hapoel Be'er Sheva 2–1 1–0 0–1 0–2 0–4
Maccabi Haifa 0–2 1–3 3–1 2–1 1–1
Maccabi Netanya 0–2 3–2 0–1 1–2 1–4
Maccabi Tel Aviv 2–3 2–0 0–0 1–0 3–0
Source: Israel Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Positions by round

Team ╲ Round2627282930313233343536
Maccabi Tel Aviv11111111111
Maccabi Haifa32433322232
Hapoel Be'er Sheva24222344423
Maccabi Netanya43345433344
Bnei Yehuda55554555555
Hapoel Hadera66666666666
2018–19 UEFA Champions League First qualifying round
2018–19 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round
Source:

Relegation round

Key numbers for pairing determination (number marks position after 26 games)

Rounds
27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd
7 – 11
8 – 13
9 – 12
10 – 14
11 - 14
12 - 10
13 - 9
7 - 8
8 - 11
9 - 7
10 – 13
14 - 12
11 - 12
13 - 14
7 - 10
8 - 9
9 - 11
10 - 8
14 - 7
12 - 13
11 - 13
7 - 12
8 - 14
9 -10
10 - 11
14 - 9
12 - 8
13 - 7

Relegation round table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation
7 Beitar Jerusalem 33 11 10 12 43 43 0 43
8 Hapoel Tel Aviv 33 9 15 9 40 30 +10 42
9 Hapoel Ra'anana 33 8 15 10 29 38 9 39
10 Ironi Kiryat Shmona 33 9 11 13 34 35 1 38
11 Hapoel Haifa 33 8 13 12 44 47 3 37
12 F.C. Ashdod 33 10 7 16 34 54 20 37
13 Maccabi Petah Tikva (R) 33 8 12 13 33 51 18 36 Relegation to Liga Leumit
14 Bnei Sakhnin (R) 33 5 12 16 27 50 23 27
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Matches won; 4) Goals scored; 5) Head-to-head points; 6) Head-to-head goal difference; 7) Head-to-head goals scored; 8) Play-off.[17]
(R) Relegated

Relegation round results

Home \ Away BEI BnS ASH HHA HRA HTA IKS MPT
Beitar Jerusalem 0–0 2–3 4–1
Bnei Sakhnin 1–2 0–2 1–1
F.C. Ashdod 1–2 1–0 3–2
Hapoel Haifa 0–0 0–2 0–0 0–3
Hapoel Ra'anana 1–2 2–2 1–2 2–1
Hapoel Tel Aviv 1–2 3–0 5–1 2–2
Ironi Kiryat Shmona 0–1 3–0 0–0 0–1
Maccabi Petah Tikva 0–3 1–1 0–2
Source: Israel Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Positions by round

Team ╲ Round2627282930313233
Beitar Jerusalem11121197777
Hapoel Tel Aviv877781088
Hapoel Ra'anana1099129899
Ironi Kiryat Shmona911121011111210
Hapoel Haifa78881091011
F.C. Ashdod1314131313131312
Maccabi Petah Tikva1210101112121113
Bnei Sakhnin1413141414141414
Relegation to 2019–20 Liga Leumit
Source:

Season statistics

Top scorers

Rank Scorer Club Goals
1 Israel Ben Sahar Hapoel Be'er Sheva 15
2 Montenegro Fatos Bećiraj Maccabi Netanya 13
Brazil Lúcio Hapoel Hadera
4 Israel Yarden Shua Bnei Yehuda / Maccabi Haifa 12
Israel Eliran Atar Maccabi Tel Aviv
6 Republic of the Congo Mavis Tchibota Bnei Yehuda 11
Israel Omer Atzili Maccabi Tel Aviv
8 Israel Guy Melamed Hapoel Be'er Sheva / Maccabi Netanya 10
9 AustraliaIsrael Nikita Rukavytsya Maccabi Haifa 9
France Ange-Freddy Plumain Hapoel Hadera / Beitar Jerusalem
Israel Shlomi Azulay Bnei Sakhnin
12 6 different players 3 different teams 8

Source: (Hebrew)

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDateRoundReference
Israel Matan Hozez Hapoel Haifa Bnei Sakhnin 4–0 19 January 2019 19

Top assists

Rank Player Club Assists
1 Israel Dor Micha Maccabi Tel Aviv 11
2 Albania Valon Ahmedi Ironi Kiryat Shmona 10
3 Israel Gidi Kanyuk Maccabi Petah Tikva 8
Israel Yonatan Cohen Maccabi Tel Aviv
5 Israel Ismaeel Ryan Ironi Kiryat Shmona 7
Israel Dolev Haziza Bnei Yehuda
7 8 different players 6 different teams 6

Source: (Hebrew)

See also

References

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