The 2008–09 Liga Artzit season started on 5 September 2008 and ended on 29 May 2009.
Two teams from Liga Alef were promoted at the end of the previous season: Hapoel Umm al-Fahm and Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam along with two teams relegated from Liga Leumit: Hapoel Nazareth Illit and Hapoel Rishon LeZion.The two teams relegated to Liga Alef were Hapoel Kfar Shalem and Maccabi HaShikma/Ramat Hen.
It was scheduled to be the last season before the league closing,June 24th IFA meeting summary as the top two divisions are both expanded to 16 clubs. As a result of the restructuring, the top seven clubs were promoted to Liga Leumit, whilst the eight-placed club played in a play-off against the 11th-placed club in Liga Leumit for a place in that division. The losers of that match and the bottom four clubs in Liga Artzit were relegated to Liga Alef, which has regained its status as the third tier of Israeli football.
League table
Positions by round
Results 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
Third round Key numbers for pairing determination (number marks position after 22 games):
Rounds 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd3 – 124 – 25 – 16 – 117 – 108 – 912 – 910 – 811 – 71 – 62 – 53 – 44 – 125 – 36 – 27 – 18 – 119 – 1012 – 1011 – 91 – 82 – 73 – 64 – 55 – 126 – 47 – 38 – 29 – 110 – 1112 – 111 – 102 – 93 – 84 – 75 – 66 – 127 – 58 – 49 – 310 – 211 – 11 – 122 – 113 – 104 – 95 – 86 – 712 – 78 – 69 – 510 – 411 – 31 – 22 – 123 – 14 – 115 – 106 – 97 – 812 – 89 – 710 – 611 – 51 – 42 – 3
Promotion playoff Maccabi Kafr Kanna as the 8th-placed team faced the 11th-placed Liga Leumit team Ironi Ramat HaSharon for a two-legged playoff, Maccabi Kafr Kanna lost both games and were relegated to Liga Alef.
Season statistics
Scoring First goal of the season: Wajdi Abu Yones for Bnei Tamra against Maccabi Tirat HaCarmel, 2nd minute (5 September 2008) Widest winning margin: 8 goals: Hapoel Umm al-Fahm 0–8 Hapoel Marmorek (29 May 2009) Most goals in a match: 8 goals: Hapoel Umm al-Fahm 0–8 Hapoel Marmorek (29 May 2009)
Discipline First yellow card of the season: Roshdi Soph for Bnei Tamra against Maccabi Tirat HaCarmel, 13th minute (5 September 2008) First red card of the season: Moshe Ben Haim for Ironi Bat Yam against Hapoel Rishon LeZion, 73rd minute (29 August 2008)
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Yosef AsayagSektzia Nes Tziona152 Shay AbuksisSektzia Nes Tziona143 Ofir HalwaniHapoel Umm al-Fahm / Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv11 Nissim Ben DavidHapoel Ashkelon11 Bryan ManHapoel Ashkelon116 Mati AvrahamIroni Bat Yam10 Wajdi Abu YonesBnei Tamra10 Ofer ShitritHapoel Rishon LeZion10 Shlomi ToladoBeitar Shimshon Tel Aviv1010 Enon BardaHapoel Ashkelon9 Mordechai Kol TuvHapoel Nazareth Illit9Total505Average per game2.55
See also List of Israeli football transfers 2008–09 2008–09 Toto Cup Artzit
References