# 2008–09 Maccabi Haifa F.C. season

The 2008–09 season was Maccabi Haifa's 51st season in Israeli Premier League, and their 27th consecutive season in the top division of Israeli football.
The season was a great success for the club winning the league and coming extremely close to winning the State Cup to go with it.

## Liga Al

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 30 August 2008 | F.C. Ashdod | H | 3 – 1 | Keinan, Katan (2) | 11,000 |
| 13 September 2008 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | A | 0 – 0 | | 0 (closed doors) |
| 21 September 2008 | Bnei Yehuda | H | 1 – 0 | Rafaelov | 7,500 |
| 28 September 2008 | Beitar Jerusalem | A | 1 – 1 | Keinan | 18,000 |
| 4 October 2008 | Maccabi Petah Tikva | H | 3 – 1 | own goal, Fanteni (2) | 8,000 |
| 18 October 2008 | Bnei Sakhnin | A | 1 – 0 | Rafaelov | 2,500 |
| 27 October 2008 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | H | 3 – 2 | Fanteni (2), Lior Rafaelov | 14,000 |
| 1 November 2008 | Hakoah Amidar/Ramat Gan | A | 3 – 0 | Rafaelov, Boccoli, Kayal | 2,500 |
| 10 November 2008 | Maccabi Netanya | H | 2 – 3 | Keinan, Fanteni | 14,000 |
| 15 November 2008 | Ironi Kiryat Shmona | H | 1 – 1 | Rafaelov | 10,000 |
| 22 November 2008 | Hapoel Petah Tikva | A | 4 – 1 | Ghadir, Rafaelov, Kayal, Arbeitman | 4,000 |
| 29 November 2008 | F.C. Ashdod | A | 3 – 1 | Fanteni, Golasa, Kayal | 5,000 |
| 8 December 2008 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | H | 2 – 2 | Arbeitman, Maimon | 14,500 |
| 15 December 2008 | Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv | A | 1 – 0 | Katan | 8,000 |
| 22 December 2008 | Beitar Jerusalem | H | 0 – 0 | | 14,000 |
| 17 January 2009 | Maccabi Petah Tikva | A | 0 – 2 | | 4,000 |
| 24 January 2009 | Bnei Sakhnin | H | 2 – 1 | Fanteni, Katan | 7,000 |
| 2 February 2009 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | A | 1 – 1 | Boccoli | 13,000 |
| 2 February 2009 | Hakoah Amidar/Ramat Gan | H | 2 – 0 | Katan, Boccoli | 8,000 |
| 23 February 2009 | Maccabi Netanya | A | 0 – 2 | | 5,000 |
| 4 March 2009 | Ironi Kiryat Shmona | A | 0 – 1 | | 1,000 |
| 7 March 2009 | Hapoel Petah Tikva | H | 1 – 0 | Osei | 9,000 |
| 15 March 2009 | Bnei Yehuda | A | 1 – 0 | Masilela | 6,000 |
| 21 March 2009 | Maccabi Petah Tikva | H | 0 – 0 | | 9,000 |
| 6 April 2009 | F.C. Ashdod | A | 3 – 0 | Arbeitman, Rafaelov, Boccoli | 2,500 |
| 11 April 2009 | Hapoel Petah Tikva | H | 2 – 1 | Arbeitman, Meshumar | 10,000 |
| 19 April 2009 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | A | 1 – 1 | Fanteni | 12,000 |
| 25 April 2009 | Hapoel Petah Tikva | H | 2 – 1 | Fanteni (2) | 8,000 |
| 4 May 2009 | Bnei Sakhnin | A | 0 – 0 | | 3,000 |
| 9 May 2009 | Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan | H | 2 – 0 | Arbeitman, Rafaelov | 8,000 |
| 18 May 2009 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | H | 1 – 0 | Katan | 14,500 |
| 23 May 2009 | Maccabi Netanya | A | 2 – 0 | Fanteni, Kayal | 6,000 |
| 1 June 2009 | Beitar Jerusalem | H | 1 – 1 | Rafaelov | 14,000 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Maccabi Haifa (C) | 33 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 49 | 24 | +25 | 67 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | 33 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 49 | 28 | +21 | 61 | Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Beitar Jerusalem | 33 | 16 | 12 | 5 | 47 | 28 | +19 | 57 | |
| 4 | Maccabi Netanya | 33 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 40 | 32 | +8 | 54 | Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round |
| 5 | Bnei Yehuda | 33 | 14 | 7 | 12 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 49 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
* ↑ Beitar Jerusalem did not obtain the license for competing in next year's European competitions because they failed to meet their commitments to UEFA. Since Beitar won the cup and the cup runners-up are league champions Maccabi Haifa, all Europa League spots were awarded to teams according to their league positions. Since Beitar also finished third in the league, Europa League spots were given to league runners-up Hapoel Tel Aviv, fourth-placed Maccabi Netanya and fifth-placed Bnei Yehuda.
* ↑ Beitar Jerusalem were deducted two points due to Beitar fans pitch invasion the previous year against Maccabi Herzliya and one point due to racist calls from Beitar fans.
* 1 2 Qualified because Beitar Jerusalem did not obtain the license for competing in next year's European competitions.

## State Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 14 February 2009 | Round 9 | Hapoel Ramat Gan | A | 1 – 0 (aet) | Katan 113' | |
| 12 March 2009 | Round of 16 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | A | 1 – 1 (2 – 1p) | Katan 81' | 12,500 |
| 22 April 2009 | Quarter-final | Maccabi Ah"i Nazareth | A | 4 – 0 | Fanteni (2) 30', 87', Katan 45', Harazi 82' | 4,000 |
| 13 May 2009 | Semi-final | Maccabi Netanya | N | 1 – 1 (5 – 4p) | Meshumar 65' | 36,000 |
| 26 May 2009 | Final | Beitar Jerusalem | N | 1 – 2 | Kayal 88' | 40,000 |

## Toto Cup
### Group stage

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Group position |
| 9 August 2008 | Beitar Jerusalem | H | 1 – 1 | Fanteni 31' | 1st |
| 17 August 2008 | Maccabi Netanya | H | 1 – 1 | Boccoli 5' | 1st |
| 23 August 2008 | Bnei Yehuda | A | 3 – 1 | Kayal 6', Rafaelov 16', Fanteni 21' | 1st |
| 5 November 2008 | Beitar Jerusalem | A | 2 – 0 | Ghadir 59', Arbeitman 89' | 1st |
| 29 October 2008 | Maccabi Netanya | A | 4 – 1 | Ghadir 20', Osei 43', Arbeitman (2) 53', 82' | 1st |
| 12 November 2008 | Bnei Yehuda | H | 1 – 1 | Ghadir 12' | 1st |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Maccabi Haifa (A) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 5 | +7 | 12 |
| 2 | Bnei Yehuda (A) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | Maccabi Netanya (A) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 7 |
| 4 | Beitar Jerusalem | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 | −3 | 4 |

### Knockout stage

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 5 January 2009 | Quarter-final First leg | Hapoel Tel Aviv | A | 0 – 2 | | |
| 11 March 2009 | Quarter-final Second leg | Hapoel Tel Aviv | H | 2 – 0 (3 – 4p) | Boccoli 22', Keinan 55' | |

## Squad statistics

| Pos. | Name | League | League | State Cup | State Cup | Toto Cup | Toto Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Gad Amos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| GK | Nir Davidovich | 22 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| GK | Amir Edri | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| DF | Ronnie Gafney | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| DF | Alon Harazi | 24 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| DF | Dekel Keinan | 28 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 4 |
| DF | Leo Krupnik | 30 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 1 |
| DF | Tsepo Masilela | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| DF | Shai Maimon | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 2 |
| DF | Eyal Meshumar | 18 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 3 |
| DF | Anderson West | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| MF | Omri Afek | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| MF | Gustavo Boccoli | 33 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 42 | 6 |
| MF | John Jairo Culma | 30 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 41 | 2 |
| MF | Liad Elmaliah | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | Eyal Golasa | 26 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 37 | 1 |
| MF | Beram Kayal | 30 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 40 | 7 |
| MF | Lior Rafaelov | 33 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 44 | 10 |
| MF | Yisrael Zaguri | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| FW | Shlomi Arbeitman | 28 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 40 | 9 |
| FW | Thembinkosi Fanteni | 30 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 41 | 16 |
| FW | Mohammad Ghadir | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 21 | 4 |
| FW | Yaniv Katan | 31 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 14 |
| FW | Ransford Osei | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 2 |