The Israel Soccer Championship Playoffs are set as the final three places that were up for grabs this weekend went to Kiryat Shemona, Maccabi Petah Tikva and Hapoel Beer Sheva. That trio of clubs join Maccabi Haifa who retook first place, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ashdod as they will battle it out over the last 10 game days for the league title and a spot to qualify for a European competition. Immediately after Beitar Jerusalem fell to Ashdod and didn’t advance to the Championship Playoffs co-coaches Slobodan Drapic and Shay Barda resigned from the position. Also on tap was the Tel Aviv Derby that ended in a 1-1 draw and later this week.
Hapoel Beer Sheva downed Bnei Yehuda 2-0 at the southern capital as Tomer Yosefi’s brace secured the club’s qualification in the Championship Playoffs. Yosefi broke a goalless deadlock on the 37th minute when he scored thanks to a terrific individual effort by Sagiv Yehezkel. His second strike came from inside the box when he put the ball right through Bnei Yehuda keeper Barak Levi to wrap up the win.
Kiryat Shemona blanked Hapoel Kfar Saba 1-0 thanks to an early goal by Mohamed Shaker to clinch a place in the playoffs. The visitors could have taken the elad in the 7th minute on Lucio’s penalty, but the striker’s spot kick was smartly saved by Matan Zalmanovich. However, just minutes later Shaker took a Eugene Ansah through ball and out it behind the keeper to send Kobi Refuah’s team into the upper half of the table for a chance at one of the continental slots.
Beitar Jerusalem fell 2-0 to Ashdod by the Port City ending their Championship Playoff dreams on goals Ramzi Safuri and Shlomi Azulay. Dead David sent Safuri a terrific ball as the winger put it off of Shay Konstantin and into Itamar Nitzan’s goal for a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute. A quarter hour later former Beitar midfielder Shlomi Azulay sent another Dean David pass into the goal to give Ashdod the win.
At the Tel Aviv Derby, Maccabi and Hapoel drew 1-1 to split the points as the yellow-and-blue dropped out of first place and now trail Maccabi Haifa by a point. The Reds opened the scoring thanks to a first half goal by Omri Altman while Dor Peretz just got a foot on the ball in the second half to take a point.
Maccabi Haifa denied Maccabi Netanya a Championship Playoff spot as the hosts defeated the diamond city squad 2-0 to also reclaim first place after Maccabi Tel Aviv drew at the Tel Aviv Derby. Raz Meir opened the scoring in the 7th minute thanks to nice ball from Nikita Rukavytsya who then added the insurance strike for his 17th goal on the season to wrap up the win and send Raymond Atteveld’s team to the relegation playoffs.
Maccabi Petah Tikva came up on the short end of a 1-0 defeat to Bnei Sakhnin but still were able to claim a place in the Championship Playoffs. Osama Khalaila scored the lone goal of the match when he headed home the ball in the 55th minute to give Sharon Mimer’s side the 3-points.
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