Hapoel Tel Aviv was relegated tonight (Saturday) to the minor league for the third time in its history. The Reds lost to M.S. Ashdod and with one round left to the end of the season, they lost a chance to stay. More than 25 thousand spectators came tonight to the “season game of the underground” in Bloomfield, about 24 thousand of them Hapoel Tel Aviv fans. They hoped to push their team to a win that would bring them very close to staying up, but were left heartbroken.
Hapoel Tel Aviv paid the final price tonight for terrible professional conduct – especially the appointment of Yossi Abouxis which was received with hopes and expectations and ended in resounding failure. In the 10 consecutive games under him, the team did not win and gained only 5 points, and during this period it deteriorated to below the red line. Chen Sol’s poor roster construction “helped” itself of course.
Ashdod spent many weeks below the red line, but has improved a lot in the last two months. Tonight she achieved a third victory in the lower playoff in which she did not lose at all. She also achieved sporting revenge in Hapoel Tel Aviv; In 2015, they lost to the Reds in Bloomfield and were relegated, tonight the fortunes were reversed.