2020–21 Liga Alef
The 2020–21 Liga Alef season is the 12th season as third tier since its re-alignment in 2009 and the 54th season of third-tier football in Israel.
| Season | 2020–21 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Maccabi Bnei Reineh Hapoel "Adumim" Ashdod |
← 2019–20 2021–22 → | |
Changes from last season
Team changes
- Hapoel Iksal and Hapoel Kfar Shalem were promoted to Liga Leumit; Hapoel Ashkelon and Hapoel Bnei Lod (both to South division) were relegated from Liga Leumit.
- Since the previous season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no team was relegated to Liga Bet. However Ironi Kiryat Gat and Hapoel Asi Gilboa folded and didn't register to this season.
- Maccabi Tzur Shalom and Maccabi Ironi Kiryat Ata merged in July 2020.[1]
- Ihud Bnei Majd al-Krum, Hapoel Bu'eine, Hapoel Bnei Fureidis, Maccabi Bnei Reineh, Tzeirei Tayibe (to the North division), F.C. Dimona and Ironi Kuseife (to the South Division) were promoted from Liga Bet to complete a 34 team line-up, 18 teams in each division.
Format change
To accommodate the shortened schedule caused by COVID-19 pandemic, the league was split into two phases. For the first phase each division was split to two sub-divisions with nine teams in each sub-division, to be played as a double round robin tournament (16 matches in total). At the end of the first phase in each division the two top teams from each sub-division qualifying to a promotion group of four teams, again to be played as a double round robin tournament (6 matches in total), with the winning team gaining promotion to Liga Leumit and the second-placed team qualifying to the promotion play-offs.
The seven bottom placed teams in each sub-division would continue in their respective sub-division with the points gained during the first phase, playing an additional round robin schedule (six matches in total). The bottom team in each sub-division would be relegated to Liga Bet and the sixth placed team would compete to the relegation play-offs.[2]
North Division
Sub-division A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F.C. Tira | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 42 | 11 | +31 | 38 | Promotion group |
| 2 | Maccabi Tamra | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 31 | |
| 3 | Hapoel Bu'eine | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 35 | |
| 4 | Hapoel Herzliya | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 18 | +10 | 31 | |
| 5 | Maccabi Tzur Shalom Bialik | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 34 | 26 | +8 | 30 | |
| 6 | Hapoel Bnei Fureidis | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 30 | |
| 7 | Hapoel Kafr Kanna | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 32 | 33 | −1 | 30 | |
| 8 | Ironi Tiberias | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 24 | 22 | +2 | 27 | Relegation play-offs |
| 9 | Ihud Bnei Majd al-Krum | 22 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 14 | 69 | −55 | 6 | Relegation to Liga Bet |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of wins; 4) goals scored; 5) head to head; 6) deciding match.
Sub-division B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hapoel Kaukab | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 6 | +23 | 38 | Promotion group |
| 2 | Maccabi Bnei Reineh | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 16 | +7 | 27 | |
| 3 | Hapoel Bnei Arara-'Ara | 22 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 26 | 29 | −3 | 29 | |
| 4 | F.C. Haifa Robi Shapira | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 26 | +2 | 28 | |
| 5 | Hapoel Migdal HaEmek | 22 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 28 | 35 | −7 | 28 | |
| 6 | Hapoel Baqa al-Gharbiyye | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 29 | 32 | −3 | 27 | |
| 7 | Hapoel Bnei Zalafa F.C. | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 35 | 39 | −4 | 27 | |
| 8 | Tzeirei Tayibe | 22 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 30 | 31 | −1 | 26 | Relegation play-offs |
| 9 | F.C. Daburiyya | 22 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 30 | −14 | 16 | Relegation to Liga Bet |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of wins; 4) goals scored; 5) head to head; 6) deciding match.
Promotion group
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maccabi Bnei Reineh | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 | Promotion to Liga Leumit |
| 2 | F.C. Tira | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 9 | Promotion play-offs |
| 3 | Hapoel Kaukab | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 8 | |
| 4 | Maccabi Tamra | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | −3 | 5 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of wins; 4) goals scored; 5) head to head; 6) deciding match.
South Division
Sub-division A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F.C. Holon Yermiyahu | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 9 | +9 | 30 | Promotion group |
| 2 | Hapoel "Adumim" Ashdod | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 10 | +10 | 29 | |
| 3 | Maccabi Herzliya | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 32 | 24 | +8 | 37 | |
| 4 | Shimshon Kafr Qasim | 22 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 31 | 23 | +8 | 31 | |
| 5 | Maccabi Yavne | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 23 | 24 | −1 | 27 | |
| 6 | Hapoel Azor | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 31 | −4 | 27 | |
| 7 | F.C. Dimona | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 17 | +1 | 26 | |
| 8 | Hapoel Bnei Lod | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 27 | 36 | −9 | 23 | Relegation play-offs |
| 9 | F.C Or Yehuda | 22 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 26 | 48 | −22 | 22 | Relegation to Liga Bet |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of wins; 4) goals scored; 5) head to head; 6) deciding match.
Sub-division B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hapoel Bik'at HaYarden | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 32 | 14 | +18 | 32 | Promotion group |
| 2 | Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 30 | 11 | +19 | 31 | |
| 3 | Hapoel Marmorek | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 41 | 21 | +20 | 44 | |
| 4 | Maccabi Sha'arayim | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 27 | −1 | 31 | |
| 5 | Ironi Kuseife | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 35 | −13 | 26 | |
| 6 | Maccabi Ashdod | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 25 | |
| 7 | Hapoel Ashkelon | 22 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 26 | −5 | 25 | |
| 8 | Nordia Jerusalem | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 32 | 35 | −3 | 24 | Relegation play-offs |
| 9 | Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan | 22 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 23 | 58 | −35 | 11 | Relegation to Liga Bet |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of wins; 4) goals scored; 5) head to head; 6) deciding match.
Promotion group
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hapoel "Adumim" Ashdod | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 14 | Promotion to Liga Leumit |
| 2 | Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 12 | Promotion play-offs |
| 3 | Hapoel Bik'at HaYarden | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 7 | |
| 4 | F.C. Holon Yermiyahu | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 11 | −7 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of wins; 4) goals scored; 5) head to head; 6) deciding match.
Promotion play-offs
In the first round of the play-offs the two second-placed teams from the promotion groups faced each other in a single match on neutral ground. The winner of the match faced the 14th-placed team from Liga Leumit in a single match.
First round
| F.C. Tira | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa |
|---|---|---|
| A. Malka 44' | IFA | 90' (pen.) Beit Ya'akov |
| Penalties | ||
| Amasha Haj Yahia D. Malka | 1–4 | Volowelski Arzuan Eshel Beit Ya'akov |
Second round
| Hapoel Umm Al-Fahm | 1–0 | Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa |
|---|---|---|
| Elimelech 21' | IFA |
Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa was not promoted to Liga Leumit.
Relegation play-offs
In each division (North and South) the sixth-placed teams from each sub-division played each other, with the winning team staying in Liga Alef. The losing team from each division faced the Liga Bet play-off winner in a single match for a place in Liga Alef.
North division
First round
| Ironi Tiberias | 0–1 | Tzeirei Taiybe |
|---|---|---|
| IFA | 47' Baraa |
Second round
| Ironi Tiberias | w/o (1–0) (abandoned '90+7)[3] | Ihud Bnei Shefa-'Amr |
|---|---|---|
| Mahfud 59' Davidov 82' Ben David 83' | IFA | 22' T. Diab 22' 24' A. Diab 80' 84' Khatib 90+5' Nassar 90+5' Shabal 8' 90+7' Younes |
Ironi Tiberias was not relegated to Liga Bet.
South division
First round
| Nordia Jerusalem | 0–1 | Hapoel Bnei Lod |
|---|---|---|
| IFA | 12' Turiel |
Second Round
| Nordia Jerusalem | 1–0 | Hapoel Mahane Yehuda |
|---|---|---|
| Cohen 18' | IFA |
Nordia Jerusalem was not relegated to Liga Bet.
References
- ^ Ron, Ohad (9 July 2020). "פרסום ראשון: איחוד ענק בין צור שלום וקרית אתא" [A Huge Merge Between Tzur Shalom and Kiryat Ata] (in Hebrew). Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- ^ "הוראת שעה ליגות א'-ג' 2020-21" [Temporary Provisions Leagues Alef to Gimel 2020-21] (PDF) (in Hebrew). 13 August 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- ^ "שישה אדומים והפסד טכני השאירו את עירוני טבריה בליגה א'" [Six Reds and a Technical Loss Kept Ironi Tiberias in Liga Alef]. Sport5 (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.