Soccer / Late collapse ends up costing Kiryat Shmona relegation

Ran Ben Shimon failed, it turns out, in his late-season mission to put Kiryat Shmona back together again in time to avoid relegation. The club he returned to a few weeks ago to keep it in the Premier League fell apart in the final minutes against Maccabi Petah Tikva and lost 2-1 despite having dominated play for most of the match.

The loss, coupled with Hakoah Ramat Gan's 1-0 victory over Hapoel Petah Tikva, means Kiryat Shmona will return to the second division - known as the National League - after two seasons in the top tier.

Because the Premier League is expanding next season to 16 clubs, the top five finishers in the National League will all be promoted. Those teams are league champions Hapoel Haifa, Hapoel Acre, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Hapoel Ramat Gan and Hapoel Raanana.

Ramat Gan, which finished in 11th place just two points clear of Kiryat Shmona, will face Ahi Nazareth, which finished sixth place in the National League, in a playoff for the 16th spot.

Kiryat Shmona's match was particularly frustrating because the hosts controlled the ball for most of the first 80 minutes but couldn't find the back of the net.

The team had four great chances in a 15-minute stretch early in the second half but came up empty-handed. Amir Nussbaum sent a cross in the 60th minute, which Barak Bakhar set up for Idan Srur, but the midfielder's shot was high. A minute later Avidor Peretz attacked from the right side and found Yero Bello in front of the goal, but the Nigerian missed by centimeters.

In the 71st minute, Yuval Avidor missed from the left side, while three minutes later Guy Tzarfati also missed by centimeters from 16 meters out.

Kiryat Shmona was thus left stunned in the 80th minute when Omer Damari broke out and scored, so much so that a minute later the hosts desperately went on the attack and abandoned the defense - allowing Omer Buchsenbaum to break out and score the second goal.

Tomer Suissa cut the lead in half in the 90th minute, but it was clearly a case of too little, too late, as the referee's whistle a few minutes later sealed Kiryat Shmona's fate.