1955–56 in Israeli football

The 1955–56 season was the 8th season of competitive football in Israel and the 30th season under the Israeli Football Association, established in 1928, during the British Mandate.

Football in Israel
Season1955–56
Men's football
Liga LeumitMaccabi Tel Aviv
Liga AlefHakoah Tel Aviv
Liga BetMaccabi Hadera
Maccabi Sha'arayim
State CupMaccabi Tel Aviv
← 1954–55 1956–57 →

Review and Events
  • The league started with the completion of competitions started during the previous season including all league competitions and the state cup.[1]
  • At the end of the league season, the Israeli football league system was reorganized. At the top, a new league was formed, Liga Leumit, pushing the rest of the league down a tier. Liga Leumit was set to have 12 teams, down from 14 teams. At the end of the season, the bottom two teams were set to relegate to second-tier Liga Alef and the 11th and 12th placed team played a promotion/relegation play-offs with the two Liga Alef winners. In the second tier, the division was set to have 12 teams in one national division. Beneath that, Liga Bet was designated as third tier, with two regional divisions of 12 teams in each division. Liga Gimel was designated as fourth tier, divided to regional divisions.
    The new league structure entered a new season beginning on December 1956.[2] The league season was completed by June 1956. At the end of the season, the top division was reduced to 10 clubs, with two clubs relegating to Liga Alef and the 10th placed team playing a promotion/relegation play-off against the top club in 1955–56 Liga Alef.
  • On 14 September 1955, with a match between a Haifa XI and Tel Aviv XI, Kiryat Eliezer Stadium was officially opened.[3]
  • The national team participated in the 1956 Olympics qualification, playing against the USSR.[4][5]

Domestic leagues

1954–55 Liga Alef

The league, which started during the previous season, was completed on 16 October 1955 and was won by Hapoel Petah Tikva, its first ever championship. At the bottom, Hapoel Hadera and Hapoel Balfouria relegated to 1955–56 Liga Alef. Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Kfar Saba finished 11th and 12th and faced 1954–55 Liga Bet regional divisions' winners, Hapoel Kiryat Haim and Maccabi Jaffa, at the end of which, Hapoel Kfar Saba retained its place in the top division, joined by Maccabi Jaffa.

Final table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Hapoel Petah Tikva 26 18 4 4 68 23 2.957 40 Champions
2 Maccabi Tel Aviv 26 17 4 5 84 28 3.000 38
3 Hapoel Tel Aviv 26 12 9 5 49 23 2.130 33
4 Maccabi Netanya 26 13 7 6 54 43 1.256 33
5 Beitar Tel Aviv 26 12 5 9 64 47 1.362 29
6 Maccabi Haifa 26 11 6 9 54 41 1.317 28
7 Maccabi Petah Tikva 26 10 7 9 37 41 0.902 27
8 Maccabi Rehovot 26 11 4 11 49 48 1.021 26
9 Hapoel Haifa 26 9 6 11 40 55 0.727 24
10 Hapoel Ramat Gan 26 10 3 13 35 41 0.854 23
11 Beitar Jerusalem 26 8 5 13 37 59 0.627 21 Relegation Playoffs
12 Hapoel Kfar Saba 26 6 6 14 38 46 0.826 18
13 Hapoel Hadera 26 7 2 17 36 53 0.679 16 Relegated to Liga Bet
14 Hapoel Balfouria 26 3 2 21 32 129 0.248 8
Updated to match(es) played on 15 October 1955. Source: 100 Years of Football 1906-2006, Elisha Shohat (Israel), 2006

Promotion/Relegation play-offs
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Maccabi Jaffa 3 2 1 0 8 2 4.000 5 Placed in Liga Leumit
2 Hapoel Kfar Saba 3 1 2 0 5 3 1.667 4
3 Hapoel Kiryat Haim 3 1 1 1 5 7 0.714 3 Placed in Liga Alef
4 Beitar Jerusalem 3 0 0 3 3 9 0.333 0
Updated to match(es) played on 15 October 1955. Source: 100 Years of Football 1906-2006, Elisha Shohat (Israel), 2006

1955–56 Liga Leumit

The league started on 3 December 1955 and was played until 2 June 1956. Maccabi Tel Aviv won the title, while Maccabi Rehovot and Hapoel Kfar Saba finished bottom and relegated to 1956–57 Liga Alef. Maccabi Jaffa, who finished 10th, played a promotion/relegation play-offs against Hakoah Tel Aviv, and won both matches to stay in the top division.

Final table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Maccabi Tel Aviv 22 13 6 3 47 16 2.938 32 Champions
2 Hapoel Petah Tikva 22 12 5 5 54 28 1.929 29
3 Hapoel Tel Aviv 22 12 5 5 49 29 1.690 29
4 Maccabi Petah Tikva 22 10 7 5 43 34 1.265 27
5 Maccabi Haifa 22 11 3 8 53 27 1.963 25
6 Hapoel Haifa 22 9 4 9 32 39 0.821 22
7 Beitar Tel Aviv 22 10 0 12 41 48 0.854 20
8 Maccabi Netanya 22 9 2 11 31 44 0.705 20
9 Hapoel Ramat Gan 22 9 0 13 28 42 0.667 18
10 Maccabi Jaffa 22 6 5 11 39 44 0.886 17 Relegation Playoffs
11 Maccabi Rehovot 22 6 1 15 25 62 0.403 13 Relegated to Liga Alef
12 Hapoel Kfar Saba 22 3 6 13 20 48 0.417 12
Updated to match(es) played on 2 June 1956. Source: Davar (in Hebrew)
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal ratio 3) goals scored.

Promotion/Relegation playoffs

The 10th-placed Maccabi Jaffa faced 1955–56 Liga Alef winner, Hakoah Tel Aviv. The matches took place on June 10 and 17, 1956.

9 June 1956 Maccabi Jaffa 3–1 Hakoah Tel Aviv Tel Aviv
B. Cohen  32', 53'
Kalev  72'		 Davar  74' Ashkenazi Stadium: Maccabi Jaffa Ground
Attendance: 5000
Referee: Reuven Frizner
16 June 1956 Hakoah Tel Aviv 0–1 Maccabi Jaffa Tel Aviv
Davar  18' Ghougasian Stadium: Hatikva Neighborhood Stadium
Attendance: 4000
Referee: Aharon Werner

Maccabi Jaffa won 4–1 on aggregate and remained in Liga Leumit. Hakoah Tel Aviv remained in Liga Alef.

Domestic cups

1954–55 Israel State Cup

The competition, which started on 22 January 1955, was played until autumn 1956, with the final being played on 19 November 1956. Maccabi Tel Aviv had beaten Hapoel Petah Tikva 3–1 in the final.

Final
Maccabi Tel Aviv3–1Hapoel Petah tikva
Nahmias  8'
Glazer  35'
Studinski  68'		 Kofman  84'
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Reuven Frizner

1956–57 Israel State Cup

The competition started on 11 February 1956 and was completed during the next season.

Netanya 25th Anniversary Cup

In October and November, while the promotion playoffs and the State Cup were being played, two cup competitions were organized by Liga Leumit Clubs, the second edition of the Shapira Cup, and the Netanya 25th Anniversary Cup. The Shapira Cup, in which Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Petah Tikva participated, was abandoned after two rounds of play.

Maccabi Netanya, Beitar Tel Aviv, Maccabi Petah Tikva and Hapoel Ramat Gan took part in a second cup competition, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Netanya.

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification
1 Maccabi Petah Tikva 3 2 1 0 14 5 2.800 5 Winners
2 Hapoel Ramat Gan 3 1 1 1 8 7 1.143 3
3 Maccabi Netanya 3 1 1 1 5 7 0.714 3
4 Beitar Tel Aviv 3 0 1 2 7 15 0.467 1
Source: Hadshot HaSport, p. 1

National Teams

National team

After more than a year of inactivity, the national team was reorganized under a new coach, Jack Gibbons. The national team played several matches against local teams and visiting teams, travelled to the U.S. to play an American Soccer League XI in an Israeli Independence Day celebration[6] and competed against the Soviet Union in the 1956 Olympics qualification. The national team was also due to participate in the 1956 AFC Asian Cup qualification and was drawn to play Pakistan in the first round and Afghanistan in the second round. However, both teams declined playing Israel. As all the other teams in the western zone withdrew, the national team qualified as regional winner.[7][8]

1956 Olympics qualification
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Soviet Union 2 2 0 0 7 1 +6 4
 Israel 2 0 0 2 1 7 −6 0
Source:

1955–56 matches
29 April 1956 Friendly American Soccer League XI 1–2  Israel New York
Garbovsky  27' Davar
(in Hebrew)		  6' Kofman
 26' Stelmach		 Stadium: Yankee Stadium
Attendance: 75,000
11 July 1956 Ol. Q. Soviet Union  5–0  Israel Moscow
Tatushin  2'
Ivanov  26', 71'
Simonyan  45', 79'		 Report
(in Hebrew)		 Stadium: Dynamo Stadium
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: Griffiths
31 July 1956 Ol. Q. Israel  1–2  Soviet Union Ramat Gan
Stelmach  66' Report Ilyin  57'
Tatushin  79'		 Stadium: Ramat Gan Stadium
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Liverani

International club matches

FK Sarajevo
30 January 1956 Hapoel Tel Aviv 0–3 FK Sarajevo Tel Aviv
Davar
(in Hebrew)		  31' Radičević
 44', 88' Jusufbegović		 Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Ben Rubi
2 February 1956 Maccabi Netanya 0–2 FK Sarajevo Netanya
Davar
(in Hebrew)		  13' Pašić
 69' Jusufbegović		 Stadium: Sar-Tov Stadium
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Frizner
4 February 1956 Israel 3–3 FK Sarajevo Tel Aviv
Zelikovich  7'
Stelmach  19'
Ben Dror  69' (pen.)		 Davar
(in Hebrew)		  30' Radičević
 35' Novo
 79' Jusufbegović		 Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Sher
8 February 1956 Maccabi Tel Aviv 0–2 FK Sarajevo Tel Aviv
Davar
(in Hebrew)		  25' Pašić
 32' Biogradlić		 Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Werner

Kapfenberger SV

In February 1956 the Israeli government lifted the ban on hosting teams from Austria and Hapoel and Maccabi Petah Tikva invited Kapfenberger SV to a tour of Israel.[9] The visit was met with criticism from right-wing politicians[10][11] and acts of sabotage in order to stop the Austrian team from playing,[12][13] but the matches went ahead as planned.

12 February 1956 Hapoel Petah Tikva 2–2 Kapfenberger SV Petah Tikva
Kofman  17'
Flascher  45' (o.g.)		 Davar
(in Hebrew)		  41' Bihas
 59' Gollnhuber		 Stadium: Hapoel Ground
Attendance: 3,500
15 February 1956 Israel 2–1 Kapfenberger SV Tel Aviv
Israeli  6'
Zelikovich  53'		 Davar
(in Hebrew)		  69' (pen.) Kolar Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Ben Rubi
16 February 1956 Maccabi Haifa 2–3 Kapfenberger SV Haifa
Ben-Tzvi  8'
Litvak  72'		 Davar
(in Hebrew)		  60' Wirboda
 65' Hauberger
 87' Gollnhuber		 Stadium: Kiryat Eliezer Stadium
Attendance: 6,500
Referee: Klein
19 February 1956 Maccabi Petah Tikva 1–2 Kapfenberger SV Petah Tikva
Nadel  41' Davar
(in Hebrew)		  65', 80' Sillaber Stadium: Hapoel Ground
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Rosenbaum
21 February 1956 Petah Tikva XI 0–1 Kapfenberger SV Tel Aviv
Davar
(in Hebrew)		  5' Hofka Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 3,000

Sunderland
3 May 1956 Maccabi Petah Tikva 2–3 Sunderland Ramat Gan
Scharf  20'
Turkenitz  68' (pen.)		  7', 36', 69' Fleming Stadium: Ramat Gan Stadium
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Frizner
5 May 1956 Maccabi Haifa 3–4 Sunderland Haifa
Held  23', 58'
Almani  41'		  16' Elliott
 76' Fleming
 81' Morrison  87' Shackleton		 Stadium: Kiryat Eliezer Stadium
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Sher
7 May 1956 Israel 1–1 Sunderland Ramat Gan
Held  60'  20' Holden Stadium: Ramat Gan Stadium
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Ben Rubi
13 May 1956 Hapoel Haifa 2–4 Sunderland Haifa
Avraham Ginzburg HaTzofe Fleming
Shackleton
Holden		 Stadium: Kiryat Eliezer Stadium
Attendance: 6,000

Rampla Juniors
10 May 1956 Israel 0–2 Rampla Juniors Ramat Gan
[14][15]  56' Pérez
 59' R. Rodríguez		 Stadium: Ramat Gan Stadium
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Moshe Cohen
12 May 1955 Hapoel XI 1–2 Rampla Juniors Tel Aviv
H. Glazer  75' Davar
(in Hebrew)		  19' Pérez
 24' Omarini		 Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Werner

São Cristóvão
6 June 1956 Hapoel Petah Tikva 3–0 São Cristóvão Petah Tikva
Kofman  18'
Stelmach  51'
Ratzabi  75'		 Davar
(in Hebrew)		 Stadium: Hapoel Ground
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Dudkevich
9 June 1956 Hapoel Tel Aviv 0–1 São Cristóvão Tel Aviv
Ma'ariv
(in Hebrew)		  2' Santo Cristo Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Fried
13 June 1956 Israel 0–0 São Cristóvão Tel Aviv
Davar
(in Hebrew)		 Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Rosenbaum
16 June 1956 Hapoel XI 0–0 São Cristóvão Tel Aviv
Davar
(in Hebrew)		 Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Referee: Ben Rubi
18 June 1956 Hapoel Jerusalem 0–2 São Cristóvão Jerusalem
Davar
(in Hebrew)		  34' Décio
 73' Valdir		 Stadium: YMCA Stadium
Referee: Hillman

First Vienna
20 June 1956 Israel 1–1 First Vienna Ramat Gan
Kofman  59' Davar
(in Hebrew)		  69' Walzhofer Stadium: Ramat Gan Stadium
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Frizner
23 June 1956 Maccabi Tel Aviv 0–2 First Vienna Tel Aviv
 27' Jericha
 47' Pichler		 Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Ben Rubi
25 June 1956 Maccabi Netanya 1–5 First Vienna Netanya
Hosias  8'  22' Manasse
 32' Pichler
 40' Buzek
 79', 85' (pen.) Walzhofer		 Stadium: Sar-Tov Stadium
Attendance: 4,000
28 June 1956 Hapoel Jerusalem 0–3 First Vienna Jerusalem
 17', 86' Buzek
 26' Manasse		 Stadium: YMCA Stadium
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Palman
30 June 1956 Maccabi Haifa 1–4 First Vienna Tel Aviv
Almani  71'  51', 73', 47' Buzek
 67' Manasse		 Stadium: Basa Stadium, Tel Aviv
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Palman


References
  1. 1955-1955 Liga Leumit Schedule Archived 2015-07-26 at the Wayback Machine dribblist.com (in Hebrew)
  2. 1955-1956 Liga Leumit Schedule Archived 2015-07-26 at the Wayback Machine dribblist.com (in Hebrew)
  3. Tel Aviv team – Haifa team 3:3 Davar, 16 September 1955, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  4. 1956: The First Meeting Between Israel and USSR Archived 2015-07-27 at the Wayback Machine Asher Goldberg, 9 September 2013, IFA (in Hebrew)
  5. The First and Historic Visit of Russia in Israel Archived 2015-07-27 at the Wayback Machine Asher Goldberg, 9 September 2012, IFA (in Hebrew)
  6. 75,000 Attend “america Salutes Israel” Rally at Yankee Stadium 30 April 1956, JTA
  7. Asian Nations Cup 1956 RSSSF
  8. Israel to the Asian Football Cup Final Davar, 15 July 1956, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  9. Kapfenberg Will Go Through the Mandelbaum Gate to Israel on Friday Davar, 8 February 1956, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  10. Kapfenberg A. Hetzroni, Herut, 14 February 1956, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  11. Footnotes Davar, 15 February 1956, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  12. The Efforts to Prevent the Shame – to No Avail Herut, 13 February 1956, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  13. The Day the Goals Went Aflame Nisim Kalderon, 1 July 2014, P.T. Neto (in Hebrew)
  14. Rampla Juniors – Israel 2:0 (0:0) Davar, 11 May 1956, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  15. 3- Giras: Tercera parte (Racing - Wanderers) el-area.com (in Spanish)
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