Jonathan Ginzburg
Kiryat Malachi players celebrate with the crowd (courtesy of the club)
How symbolic that at the weekend when Hapoel Ashkelon was relegated to League C, Maccabi Kiryat Malachi is promoted to League A. In the 2014/15 season, it was the last season of the Oranges in League A, as that year they were relegated to League B from last place, while Hapoel Ashkelon was promoted to the National League from first place. Nine years have passed since then and here, today (Friday), Maccabi Kiryat Malachi hosted Beitar Nordia Jerusalem at home in a battle for promotion to League A. Yoel Suisa’s men managed to win 1:2 and next year will be part of League A South.
In a field full to capacity, Gal Levy, the Premier League referee, kicked off the match at 2:30 p.m. Yoel Suisa and Ehud Kahila started with cautious vehicles. The first half did not surpass itself too much, except for several individual situations from each side. At the start of the second half, Yarin Hillel made it 0:1 in the 48th minute in favor of Beitar Nordia Jerusalem after a mess inside the box, and defeated Benny Peretz, Nordia’s goalkeeper in the previous season.
In the 75th minute, a penalty kick was whistled from 11 meters to the credit of Kiryat Malachi after a clear hand touch. Moshiko Avitan kicked hard to the right corner of Yair Hadar and made it 1:1. Just before the final whistle, Moshiko Avitan scored his second of the game and caused a huge celebration in the orange stands. Maccabi Kiryat Malachi returns to League A after a nine-year absence. The large crowd that came to the stands and even surrounded the fences of the field, celebrated like a holiday. There is no doubt that Kiryat Malachi deserves to be in League A next season.
