2007–08 Israeli Premier League

The 2007–08 Israeli Premier League season began on 18 August 2007 and ended on 1 June 2008, with Beitar Jerusalem win their second consecutive title.

Israeli Premier League
Season2007–08
ChampionsBeitar Jerusalem
2nd Premier League title
6th top-flight title
RelegatedHakoah Amidar Ramat Gan and Hapoel Petah Tikva
Champions LeagueBeitar Jerusalem (second qualifying round)
Europa CupHapoel Tel Aviv (group stage)
Maccabi Netanya (second qualifying round)
Maccabi Tel Aviv (second qualifying round)
Goals scored459
Average goals/game2.318
Top goalscorerGhana Samuel Yeboah (15)
Biggest home winBeitar Jerusalem 5-0 F.C. Ashdod (7 October 2007)
Biggest away winF.C. Ashdod 1-6 Maccabi Netanya (29 September 2007)
Highest scoringF.C. Ashdod 1-6 Maccabi Netanya (29 September 2007)
Longest unbeaten runBeitar Jerusalem (16 games)

Two teams from Liga Leumit were promoted at the end of the previous season: Ironi Kiryat Shmona and Bnei Sakhnin. The two teams relegated were Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan and Hapoel Petah Tikva.

Teams and Locations

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Twelve teams took part in the 2007-08 Israeli Premier League season, including ten teams from the 2006-07 season, as well as two teams which were promoted from the 2006-07 Liga Leumit.

Ironi Kiryat Shmona were promoted as champions of the 2006-07 Liga Leumit. Bnei Sakhnin were promoted as runners up. Bnei Sakhnin returned after an absence of one season, while Ironi Kiryat Shmona made their debut in the top flight.

Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan and Hapoel Petah Tikva were relegated after finishing in the bottom two places in the 2006-07 season.

Club Stadium Capacity
Beitar Jerusalem Teddy Stadium 21,600
Bnei Yehuda Bloomfield Stadium 15,700
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Haifa Kiryat Eliezer Stadium 14,002
Maccabi Herzliya Herzliya Municipal Stadium 08,100
F.C. Ashdod Yud-Alef Stadium 07,800
Maccabi Netanya Sar-Tov Stadium 07,500
Maccabi Petah Tikva Petah Tikva Municipal Stadium 06,800
Hapoel Kfar Saba Levita Stadium 05,800
Ironi Kiryat Shmona Kiryat Shmona Municipal Stadium 05,300
Bnei Sakhnin Doha Stadium 05,000
Beitar Jerusalem Bnei Yehuda
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Hapoel Kfar Saba Maccabi Herzliya
Teddy Stadium
Bloomfield Stadium
Levita Stadium Herzliya Municipal Stadium
       
Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Petah Tikva
Sar-Tov Stadium
Kiryat Eliezer Stadium
Petah Tikva Municipal Stadium
     
F.C. Ashdod Bnei Sakhnin Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Yud-Alef Stadium Doha Stadium Kiryat Shmona Stadium
 
 
 

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Beitar Jerusalem (C) 33 20 7 6 61 23 +38 67 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
2 Maccabi Netanya 33 16 10 7 40 24 +16 58 Qualification for the UEFA Cup second qualifying round
3 Ironi Kiryat Shmona 33 15 11 7 43 34 +9 56 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first qualifying round
4 Bnei Sakhnin 33 15 10 8 35 29 +6 55 Qualification for the Intertoto Cup second round
5 Maccabi Haifa 33 13 8 12 38 27 +11 47
6 Maccabi Tel Aviv 33 11 8 14 43 43 0 41
7 Hapoel Tel Aviv 33 12 5 16 35 40 −5 41 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first qualifying round[a]
8 F.C. Ashdod 33 11 6 16 36 52 −16 39
9 Bnei Yehuda 33 11 5 17 31 43 −12 38
10 Maccabi Petah Tikva 33 10 7 16 28 39 −11 37
11 Hapoel Kfar Saba (R) 33 9 10 14 37 54 −17 37 Relegation to Liga Leumit
12 Maccabi Herzliya (R) 33 7 9 17 32 51 −19 30
Source: The Israel Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Since Beitar Jerusalem won both Israeli State Cup and the Israeli Premier League championship, then the cup-runner-up, Hapoel Tel Aviv, awarded with entry to the 2008–09 UEFA Cup.

Results

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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

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Home \ Away BEI BnS BnY ASH HKS HTA IKS MHA MHE MNE MPT MTA
Beitar Jerusalem 0–1 3–0 5–0 4–0 1–0 0–0 1–0 4–2 2–0 2–1 2–0
Bnei Sakhnin 2–2 0–0 3–0 1–1 1–0 0–0 1–1 0–3 0–0 1–0 3–2
Bnei Yehuda 0–3 3–0 3–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–3 0–1 1–2 0–1 0–4
F.C. Ashdod 1–2 3–1 3–0 2–4 1–1 0–0 1–0 0–1 1–6 1–3 0–0
Hapoel Kfar Saba 1–1 0–0 0–0 3–1 1–1 2–3 0–3 2–3 1–2 0–0 0–3
Hapoel Tel Aviv 1–2 0–1 1–0 0–2 1–2 0–1 2–0 0–2 0–1 2–1 1–0
Ironi Kiryat Shmona 0–3 0–0 2–1 2–1 2–2 2–1 1–1 3–0 0–0 2–1 1–0
Maccabi Haifa 0–0 0–1 1–0 3–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 0–2 0–1 3–1
Maccabi Herzliya 1–1 0–1 0–2 1–1 0–0 2–3 1–3 0–1 1–2 1–1 1–3
Maccabi Netanya 0–1 1–2 0–0 3–0 2–3 0–0 0–0 2–1 0–0 1–0 1–0
Maccabi Petah Tikva 1–2 2–0 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 0–0 3–2
Maccabi Tel Aviv 0–0 0–0 3–1 1–1 0–1 1–3 2–2 0–3 2–0 0–2 2–1
Source: Israel Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Third round

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Home \ Away BEI BnS BnY ASH HKS HTA IKS MHA MHE MNE MPT MTA
Beitar Jerusalem 1–2 0–1 3–1 3–0 4–0 1–1
Bnei Sakhnin 1–3 1–2 2–0 0–1 1–0 1–1
Bnei Yehuda 2–0 3–0 2–3 2–0 0–1
F.C. Ashdod 1–0 3–1 2–1 2–0 2–0
Hapoel Kfar Saba 0–4 1–3 1–0 3–3 2–3
Hapoel Tel Aviv 3–1 0–1 2–0 1–1 2–1
Ironi Kiryat Shmona 3–2 0–1 2–0 2–2 1–0 3–1
Maccabi Haifa 0–1 0–1 2–1 3–0 0–0 3–3
Maccabi Herzliya 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–1 1–0
Maccabi Netanya 3–2 1–0 1–1 3–0 1–2 0–2
Maccabi Petah Tikva 0–4 0–1 0–3 1–0 1–2 0–1
Maccabi Tel Aviv 3–1 2–0 2–1 0–0 2–1
Source: Israel Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Goals

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Top Goalscorers

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Rank Player Club Goals
1   Samuel Yeboah Hapoel Kfar Saba 15
2   Rômulo Beitar Jerusalem 12
  Yannick Kamanan Maccabi Tel Aviv 12
  Moshe Biton Bnei Yehuda 12
5   Dimitar Makriev F.C. Ashdod 11
6   Yero Bello Ironi Kiryat Shmona 10
  Yeghia Yavruyan Bnei Sakhnin 10
8   Yossi Shivhon Maccabi Tel Aviv 9
  Maor Buzaglo Bnei Sakhnin 9
  Yuval Avidor Ironi Kiryat Shmona 9

Source: The Israel Football Association

IFPA Leading Players of Season 2007–08

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Best Player of the Year

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Best Foreign Player of the Year

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Best Manager of the Year

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Discovery of the Year

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Best Goalkeeper of the Year

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Best Defender of the Year

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See also

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