Throughout the season, Kiryat Shmona was in the top playoff picture, although during the season it went through a corona crisis, and apart from Maccabi Tel Aviv, it was the only team that did not strengthen in January.
“We deserve to be in the top playoffs. We are making a tremendous season and that is the reward for that,” said the club which also depends on itself. That is, a victory of Kobi Refuah and his players tonight (Saturday, 19:15) over Hapoel Kfar Saba will guarantee them a place in the top playoff. In any other result, Kiryat Shmona will depend on the results of Maccabi Netanya and Hapoel Beer Sheva.
On the professional side, Seko Tora, who has recovered from an injury, will return to the squad for the first time since the game against Hapoel Beer Sheva, and will replace Yoav Hoffmeister, who was sent off in a loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Beyond that, no changes are expected in the lineup of Kobi Refuah, who is very alert for the match and on Wednesday watched his opponent tonight be eliminated in the State Cup against Hapoel Afula.
Six years have passed since the last time Izzy Sheretsky’s club was in the top flight, so the team finished in second place in the table. About two weeks ago, the owner stated that his goal this season is a ticket to Europe. As part of the preparation, already yesterday the team went to a hotel in the center where it will stay until the game, and before that Uri Dahan and Amir Ben Shimon had time to dip in the mikveh for blessing and success for their team tonight.
Estimated composition: Dziogs Bartakus, Dor Alo, Uri Dahan, Idan Nachmias, Ziv Morgan, Samuel Brown, Roi Kehat, Sacco Tora, Muhammad Shachar, Eugene Anessa and Lucio.
