Another high for Haifa

By Ofer Ronen-Abels

Maccabi Haifa FC will represent Israel in the qualifying rounds of the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League, having won their ninth title in 21 years in convincing style. With just four defeats all season, 19 goals from Roberto Colautti and 13 for Idan Tal provided the basis of an excellent campaign.

Great result
They may have finished eleven points behind the leaders, but Maccabi Petach-Tikva FC are still celebrating their best finish in 51 years under the youngest coach in the league, 29-year-old Guy Luzon. With the meanest defence in Israel, they will enter the UEFA Cup for a second successive season.

Ashdod uncertainty
The campaign was also a success for FC Ashdod. Third position represented the best showing in their history and earned them a place in the UEFA Cup, but there remain doubts as to whether they will go into the competition as owner Jacki Ben Zaken is set to leave the club.

Beitar rally
Beitar Jerusalem FC will be Israel's UEFA Intertoto Cup challengers after a decent run-in. They ended up fourth in the Premier League thanks in part to 15 goals from Lior Asulin and 12 from on-loan Avi Nimni. The 33-year-old Israel captain will return to Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC this summer.

Nazareth thrive
Promoted Hapoel Nazareth FC finished fifth, but are resigned to losing their top scorers with nine-goal Yoav Ziv having agreed to join Beitar and José Duarte, who scored 13 times, signing a three-year contract with Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

Tel-Aviv planning
The latter will play in the UEFA Cup as State Cup winners but their eighth position marked a poor return from Nir Klinger's men. Nonetheless, they will mount a renewed challenge next term, having recruited Eyal Berkovic and former Maccabi Haifa man Giovanni Rosso.

Relegation issues
At the other end of the table, Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC ended a dismal season by avoiding relegation in the penultimate round under caretaker coach Shiye Faigenbaum. Hapoel Haifa FC and Hapoel Beer-Sheva FC were the sides relegated, with Hapoel Kfar Sava FC and Maccabi Netanya FC to replace them in 2005/06.