Israeli Midfielder Dia Saba Leads Newly Promoted Turkish Club to Top of Super Lig

Israeli midfielder Dia Saba is a key player for the newly promoted Turkish club, Amedspor, which has surprisingly surged to the top of the Super Lig standings after just six matches. Saba has been instrumental in the team's dream start to their first-ever season in the top flight, scoring three goals and playing 514 minutes in all six league games. His impressive performances include a goal in Amedspor's recent 3-2 victory over powerhouse Beşiktaş, a match where he scored the team's second goal with a powerful shot from outside the box.

Amedspor's success extends beyond Saba's individual brilliance. The team currently leads the league with 15 goals scored and has achieved an impressive four wins in four home games, a feat previously only matched by Fenerbahçe in 1959. Notably, Amedspor has defeated three former champions, Trabzonspor, İstanbul Başakşehir, and Beşiktaş, in their first encounters with them in the top division, a record no other Super Lig club has achieved.

Despite his stellar form, Saba was not called up for the upcoming international window. National team coach Ran Ben Shimon explained that while Saba is professionally suited for the squad, the decision was made in consultation with the player due to concerns about potential external pressures affecting his focus. Ben Shimon stated, "We want our players to be 100 percent ready with a clear head. He has a place in the national team professionally, but I understand the complexity. If a player has to think about whether a national team call-up will affect his future, that's less than ideal. Therefore, we decided in a joint conversation that it's not suitable at the moment."

Saba himself expressed satisfaction with the team's performance after the Beşiktaş win, stating, "We are very happy. We did very good things in the first half. We worked very hard and deserved to win." He remained grounded about the league standings, adding, "We are still at the beginning of the league. We are, of course, very happy, but to be honest, we are in a place we deserve to be. We achieved this by playing well in every game."