1954–55 in Israeli football

Football in Israel
Season 1954–55
← 1953–54 Israel 1955–56 →

The 1954–55 season was the 7th season of competitive football in Israel and the 29th season under the Israeli Football Association, established in 1928, during the British Mandate.

Domestic leagues

1953–54 Liga Alef

Although league matches for the previous season ended on 13 March 1954,[1] the confirmation of the league's final standings was delayed, as a match between Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Petah Tikva, which was played on 26 December 1953 and ended with a 3–2 win for Haifa, was claimed to be fixed, to allow Maccabi Haifa to win.[2] Eventually, on 10 January 1955, the IFA decided to replay the match in a neutral venue,[3] Maccabi Haifa won the rematch 4–1 and secured their spot in the top division.[4] However, with the IFA already deadlocked with an ongoing dispute between Hapoel and Maccabi, Beitar declared its resignation from the IFA in protest of the IFA decision to replay the Maccabi Haifa-Maccabi Petah Tikva match.[5][6] Discussions were held with the help of Judge Yosef-Michael Lamm, and an agreement between the factions was reached on 28 January 1955, confirming the results of the season and reprieving Beitar Tel Aviv and Hapoel Balfouria from relegation.[7][8]

Final Table

Pos Club P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1Maccabi Tel Aviv 22166059115.3638
2Maccabi Petah Tikva22136350222.2732
3Hapoel Petah Tikva22123755252.2027
4Hapoel Tel Aviv2297635181.9425
5Maccabi Rehovot2269730330.9121
6Hapoel Ramat Gan22841031350.8920
7Maccabi Netanya22751023360.6419
8Maccabi Haifa22831126510.5119
9Hapoel Haifa22741126370.7018
10Hapoel Kfar Saba22811327380.7117
11Beitar Tel Aviv22731223420.5517
12Hapoel Balfouria22431520570.3511

Shapira Cup

During the first half of the season, as no league matches were played, Hapoel Tel Aviv organized a league competition for the top Tel Aviv teams, Hapoel, Maccabi, Beitar and Maccabi Jaffa. The competition was played as a double round-robin tournament, with the top placed team winning the cup, named after former Hapoel Tel Aviv treasurer, Yosef Shapira.

League Table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification
1 Hapoel Tel Aviv 6 5 0 1 12 7 1.714 10 Winners
2 Maccabi Tel Aviv 6 4 0 2 16 8 2.000 8
3 Beitar Tel Aviv 6 2 0 4 7 8 0.875 4
4 Maccabi Jaffa 6 1 0 5 5 17 0.294 2

1954–55 Liga Alef

League matches were delayed until 6 February 1955, and by the time the IFA had gone to summer break, 20 rounds of matches were completed, delaying the end of the league season to the next season.[9]

League table (as of 2 July 1955)

Pos Club P W D L GF GA GR Pts
1Maccabi Tel Aviv20143368203.4031
2Hapoel Petah Tikva20134338152.5330
3Hapoel Tel Aviv2098337172.1826
4Beitar Tel Aviv2095648361.3323
5Maccabi Petah Tikva2086627241.1322
6Maccabi Haifa2085736291.2421
7Maccabi Netanya2077639391.0021
8Hapoel Kfar Saba2066829300.9718
9Maccabi Rehovot2074935370.9518
10Hapoel Haifa2066831350.8918
11Hapoel Ramat Gan20731023270.8517
12Beitar Jerusalem20551027470.5715
13Hapoel Hadera20621224370.6514
14Hapoel Balfouria20221623920.256

Source:[10]

Domestic cups

The competition started on 22 January 1955, and by the end of the season reached the quarter-finals stage. The competition was completed during the next season.

National Teams

National team

No official matches were played by the national team during the season.[11]

International club matches

Outgoing tours

Maccabi Tel Aviv tour of Italy

On August 1954, Maccabi Tel Aviv departed for a tour of Italy, intending to play Lazio, Torino, Roma and Napoli. However, the matches against Torino and Roma were cancelled,[12] and the team returned home after playing just two matches in Italy and one more match, en-route home, against RC Paris, which was Ernst Happel's first match for RC Paris.[13]

Petah Tikva XI tour of Cyprus

On 24 September 1954 a team of players from both Hapoel Petah Tikva and Maccabi Petah Tikva departed for a tour of Cyprus, without the consent of the IFA. The Hapoel organization sent a telegram forbidding the participation of Hapoel players in any match, and the team played as Maccabi Petah Tikva.[18] After returning to Israel, Maccabi Petah Tikva was banned for 6 months for its part of the tour, while Hapoel Petah Tikva received a fine of 50 pounds.[19]

Maccabi Israel tour of England

A Maccabi XI, composed of the best players affiliated with Maccabi clubs, took a tour of England between 21 October and 7 November 1954. Maccabi lost all four matches during the tour and was criticized heavily for arranging the tour and the pick of its opponents.[21]

Visiting foreign teams

Beşiktaş

The visiting Turks met several composite teams, in Petah Tikva, a team from the local Hapoel and Maccabi teams, in Tel Aviv a team of the best Hapoel affiliated players and in Haifa a team from the Hapoel teams of Haifa, Kiryat Haim and Tirat HaCarmel.

Udarnik Sofia

Udarnik was invited to a return visit to Hapoel tour of Bulgaria during the previous season. The team arrived 8 October 1954 and played three matches in Israel. At the end of the tour, as the Bulgarians encountered problems with obtaining visas for a layover in Istanbul, a fourth match was arranged with mixed teams of Udarnik, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Jaffa.

APOEL FC

Associação Atlética Portuguesa

AC Omonia

References

  1. ↑ Beitar Tel Aviv to Liga Bet Al HaMishmar, 14 March 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  2. ↑ The Scandal in Haifa Herut, 3 January 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  3. ↑ The League Match Maccabi Haifa-P.T. Will Be Replayed This Saturday in Kfar Saba Hadshot HaSport, 12 January 1955, via archive.football.org.il (Hebrew)
  4. ↑ Maccabi Haifa - Maccabi P.T. 4:1 (2:1) Ma'ariv, 16 January 1955, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  5. ↑ Hapoel Left Alone in the FA Ma'ariv, 16 January 1955, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  6. ↑ Beitar Withdrew from the FA Management Hadshot HaSport, 16 January 1955, via archive.football.org.il (Hebrew)
  7. ↑ The Football Conflict Is Eliminated - 14 Teams Will Begin Liga Alef Matches Next Saturday Hadshot HaSport, 30 January 1955, via archive.football.org.il (Hebrew)
  8. ↑ Peace Returned to the Football Association Ma'ariv, 30 January 1955, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  9. ↑ 1955-1955 Liga Leumit Schedule dribblist.com (Hebrew)
  10. ↑ Hadshot HaSport, 3 July 1955 (Hebrew)
  11. ↑ Matches Against National Teams elel.co.il (via Internet Archive) (Hebrew)
  12. ↑ Today: Napoli–Maccabi T.A. Al HaMishmar, 12 September 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  13. ↑ Today: Two Minutes Before the Whistle The Equalizing Goal Was Score in the Maccabi Racing Match Al HaMishmar, 21 September 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  14. ↑ A Nice Game of Maccabi T.A. Herut, 3 September 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  15. ↑ So Maccabi Was Defeated in Napoli Herut, 17 September 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  16. ↑ A Torrent of Goals in Napoli Stadium Davar, 17 September 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  17. ↑ A Draw for Maccabi T.A. in Its Match With Racing Herut, 22 September 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  18. ↑ Petah Tikva XI Plays in Cyprus Without the FA's Consent Herut, 1 October 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  19. ↑ Maccabi P.T. Punished for Six Months Over an "Underground" Tour of Cyprus Hadshot HaSport, 14 November 1954, p. 2 (Hebrew)
  20. ↑ The Cypriot Football Took a Step Forward Davar, 6 October 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  21. ↑ The Great Disgrace of the Israeli Football Al HaMishmar, 31 October 1954, Historical Jewish Press (Hebrew)
  22. ↑ Two "Black Moments" Denied a Great Achievement Hadshot Hasport, 27 October 1954, p. 1 & 4 (Hebrew)
  23. ↑ How the Wolves Won 10:0 Hadshot HaSport, 31 October 1954, p. 1 & 8 (Hebrew)
  24. ↑ Hull City – Maccabi 4:0 Hadshot Hasport, 3 November 1954, p. 1 & 4 (Hebrew)
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