Maccabi Tel Aviv Dominates Early Season, Beitar Jerusalem Owner Defends Coach

Maccabi Tel Aviv has achieved a perfect start to the season for the third consecutive year, winning all 12 possible points in their first four matches. This season, however, their victories have come against stronger opposition, including rivals Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, and Hapoel Tel Aviv. The team has scored 16 goals and holds a significant lead over their closest challengers. Beyond the wins, Maccabi Tel Aviv is creating an "aura of fear" among opponents due to their powerful, entertaining, and intelligent play, enhanced by new signings like Gabi Kanyevsky and James Tavernier. They are the only team to reach double-digit goals and have scored four goals against two of the league's top defenses from last season.

Despite their current success, Maccabi Tel Aviv faces a historical challenge in maintaining their perfect record in the upcoming fifth round. In previous seasons, they have faltered in this round due to various circumstances, including frustrating draws and security situations forcing matches to be played without fans. The team aims to break this pattern and achieve a perfect start to the fifth round for the first time since the 1993/94 season.

In other news, Beitar Jerusalem owner Barak Abramov publicly defended coach Almog Cohen following a 3-0 loss to Hapoel Tel Aviv. Abramov dismissed criticism and expressed full confidence in Cohen, stating, "To come now and say that everything is not good is to be a clown." He emphasized the need to provide the players and staff with peace and support for a "long road" ahead. This unusual step helped stabilize the team amidst fan anger and pressure for a coaching change. Beitar Jerusalem has since secured a narrow win against Sakhnin and a more convincing 3-1 victory over Maccabi Petah Tikva, showing signs of improvement under Cohen.

Hapoel Ramat Gan, a newly promoted team, has surprised many by securing their first win of the season against Maccabi Netanya, lifting them above the relegation zone. Despite a challenging start and significant squad turnover with 23 new signings, the team has shown resilience. A key factor in their recent success has been the strong performance of young goalkeeper Amit Reif, who has not lost a match since returning to the starting lineup. Reif has been instrumental in their promotion to the top league and is now leading the league in saves, earning a call-up to the youth national team.