Israeli Midfielder Dia Saba Leads Turkish Newcomer Amedspor to Historic League Summit

Israeli midfielder Dia Saba is making waves in Turkey, spearheading the remarkable ascent of newly promoted Amedspor to the top of the Super Lig. The team, which played in the third division just over two years ago, currently sits atop the league standings after six matches, a feat previously unseen in Turkish football.

Saba has been instrumental in Amedspor's success, playing every minute of their league games and scoring three goals. One of his early goals was voted the best of August by fans. His contributions were crucial in Amedspor's recent 3-2 victory over the powerhouse Beşiktaş, a match where Saba scored the second goal. This win propelled the team to 13 points, ahead of Galatasaray on goal difference.

Amedspor's home record is particularly impressive, with four wins in four home games, a feat only matched by Fenerbahçe in 1959. They have also defeated three former champions, Trabzonspor, İstanbul Başakşehir, and Beşiktaş, in their first encounters with them in the top flight, a record no other Super Lig club has achieved.

Despite his stellar performance, Saba was not called up for the upcoming national team window. Coach Ran Ben Shimon explained that while Saba is professionally valuable, the decision was made in a joint discussion 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 right now."

Saba, who joined Amedspor last season and was key to their promotion with 9 goals and 10 assists, expressed satisfaction with the team's performance. "We are very happy. We did very good things in the first half," he said after the Beşiktaş win. "We worked very hard and deserved to win." He remained grounded about their league position, adding, "We are still at the beginning of the league. We are, of course, very happy, but honestly, we are in a place we deserve to be. We achieved this by playing well in every game."