Maccabi Tel Aviv have handed a first competitive start to summer signing Ester Sokler for Sunday evening's trip to Hapoel Jerusalem, the opening fixture of the new Israeli Premier League season, ONE reports.
The confirmed starting eleven, published by ONE ahead of kickoff at Teddy Stadium (20:15), reads: Ofek Melika, Noam Ben Harush, Itay Ben Hamo, Raz Shlomo, Roy Revivo, Itamar Noy, Dor Peretz, Ido Shahar, Helio Varela, Osher Davida and Ester Sokler.
Sokler, a Slovenian international striker, arrived at Maccabi this summer from Serbian club Radnički after finishing last season with 15 goals in 29 appearances there. He spent two seasons in Scotland with Aberdeen before that spell, making 72 appearances and scoring 12 goals for the Pittodrie club.
His inclusion from the first whistle gives Maccabi a recognised focal point up front for the league opener, alongside Osher Davida and Helio Varela in an attacking unit that also features Roy Revivo, one of the squad's more experienced defenders, starting in the back line.
The visitors arrive off the back of a difficult midweek, having been eliminated from Conference League play-off qualifying by Lugano, so Sunday offers an immediate chance to reset with three domestic points.
Hapoel Jerusalem, by contrast, go into their home opener unbeaten in four matches, their most recent result a win over Maccabi Haifa.
History overwhelmingly favours the visitors, though: Maccabi Tel Aviv have won 14 of the last 15 meetings between the sides and currently hold a ten-match winning streak in the fixture. Jerusalem's last victory over Tel Aviv in the league came back in March 2023.
