# 2014–15 Liga Leumit

The 2014–15 Liga Leumit was the 16th season as second tier since its re-alignment in 1999 and the 73rd season of second-tier football in Israel.
A total of sixteen teams are contesting in the league, including eleven sides from the 2013–14 season, the three promoted teams from 2013–14 Liga Alef and the two relegated teams from 2013–14 Israeli Premier League.

## Changes from 2013–14 season
### Team changes

Maccabi Netanya and Hapoel Petah Tikva, were promoted to the 2014–15 Israeli Premier League.
Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon and Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv were directly relegated to the 2014–15 Liga Leumit after finishing the 2013–14 Israeli Premier League season in the bottom two places.
Hapoel Ashkelon, and Maccabi Umm al-Fahm were directly relegated to Liga Alef after finishing in the previous season in last two league places. They were replaced by Hapoel Kfar Saba and Maccabi Kiryat Gat who finished first their respective 2013–14 Liga Alef Liga Alef. Ironi Tiberias won the Liga Alef playoffs, and after relegation play-offs replaced Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem in Liga Leumit.

## Overview
### Stadia and locations

| Club | Home City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | Tel Aviv and Ramla | Ramla Municipal Stadium | 02,000 |
| Bnei Yehuda | Tel Aviv | Bloomfield Stadium | 14,413 |
| Hakoah Ramat Gan | Ramat Gan | Winter Stadium | 08,000 |
| Hapoel Afula | Afula | Afula Illit Stadium | 03,000 |
| Hapoel Bnei Lod | Lod | Lod Municipal Stadium | 03,000 |
| Hapoel Jerusalem | Jerusalem | Teddy Stadium | 31,733 |
| Hapoel Nazareth Illit | Nazareth Illit | Green Stadium | 04,000 |
| Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | Ramat HaSharon | Grundman Stadium | 4,300 |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | Ramat Gan | Winter Stadium | 08,000 |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | Rishon LeZion | Haberfeld Stadium | 06,000 |
| Ironi Tiberias | Tiberias | Afula Illit Stadium | 3,000 |
| Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | Nazareth | Ilut Stadium | 04,932 |
| Maccabi Herzliya | Herzliya | Herzliya Municipal Stadium | 08,100 |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | Kfar Saba | Levita Stadium | 5,800 |
| Maccabi Kiryat Gat | Kiryat Gat | Sala Stadium | 05,250 |
| Maccabi Yavne | Yavne | Ness Ziona Stadium | 03,500 |
^A The club is playing their home games at a neutral venue because their own ground does not meet Premier League requirements. ^B While Kiryat Gat Municipal Stadium is under construction. Maccabi Kiryat Gat will host their home games in Sala Stadium. ^C While Yavne Municipal Stadium is under construction. Maccabi Yavne will host their home games in Ness Ziona Stadium until January 2014.

## Regular season

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv | 30 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 56 | 18 | +38 | 64 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 2 | Hapoel Bnei Lod | 30 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 46 | 25 | +21 | 57 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 3 | Hapoel Kfar Saba | 30 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 45 | 25 | +20 | 55 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 4 | Hapoel Afula | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 41 | 32 | +9 | 46 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 5 | Maccabi Kiryat Gat | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 28 | 24 | +4 | 44 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 6 | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 47 | −5 | 41 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 7 | Maccabi Yavne | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 42 | 46 | −4 | 40 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 8 | Hapoel Ramat Gan | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 35 | −5 | 40 | Qualification for the Promotion playoffs |
| 9 | Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 39 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 10 | Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 41 | 42 | −1 | 39 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 11 | Maccabi Herzliya | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 37 | 35 | +2 | 38 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 12 | Hapoel Jerusalem | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 38 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 13 | Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 30 | 45 | −15 | 34 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 14 | Hapoel Nazareth Illit | 30 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 34 | 47 | −13 | 30 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 15 | Ironi Tiberias | 30 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 28 | 40 | −12 | 27 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| 16 | Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan | 30 | 4 | 4 | 22 | 14 | 49 | −35 | 16 | Qualification for the Relegation playoffs |
| Home \ Away | BTR | BnY | HAR | HAF | HBL | HJE | HKS | HNI | HRH | HRG | HRL | ITI | MAN | MHE | MKG | MYA |
| Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | | 0–4 | 2–0 | 3–4 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 |
| Bnei Yehuda | 2–1 | | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan | 1–0 | 0–2 | | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–6 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 |
| Hapoel Afula | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Hapoel Bnei Lod | 5–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 |
| Hapoel Jerusalem | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–2 | | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 3–3 |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 |
| Hapoel Nazareth Illit | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | 1–0 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 1–4 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Ironi Tibieras | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 0–0 | 1–6 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–0 |
| Maccabi Herzliya | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–4 | | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Maccabi Kiryat Gat | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 2–1 |
| Maccabi Yavne | 0–2 | 1–6 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |
* ↑ The match originally was abandoned after supporter violence while the score was 1–1. The Israel Football Association declared the match a 3–0 technical win for Hapoel Jerusalem, with Kęstutis Ivaškevičius being handed a one-match suspension.

## Playoffs

Key numbers for pairing determination (number marks position after 30 games):
Rounds :
| 31st | 32nd | 33rd | 34th | 35th | 36th | 37th |
| 1 – 5 2 – 7 3 – 6 4 – 8 | 1 – 2 5 – 8 6 – 4 7 – 3 | 2 – 5 3 – 1 4 – 7 8 – 6 | 1 – 4 2 – 3 5 – 6 7 – 8 | 3 – 5 4 – 2 6 – 7 8 – 1 | 1 – 6 2 – 8 3 – 4 5 – 7 | 4 – 5 6 – 2 7 – 1 8 – 3 |
| 09 – 13 10 – 15 11 – 14 12 – 16 | 09 – 10 13 – 16 14 – 12 15 – 11 | 10 – 13 11 – 90 12 – 15 16 – 14 | 09 – 12 10 – 11 13 – 14 15 – 16 | 11 – 13 12 – 10 14 – 15 16 – 9 | 09 – 14 10 – 16 11 – 12 13 – 15 | 12 – 13 14 – 10 15 – 9 16 – 11 |

### Top Playoff

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv (P) | 37 | 21 | 13 | 3 | 69 | 26 | +43 | 76 | Promotion to Israeli Premier League |
| 2 | Hapoel Kfar Saba (P) | 37 | 21 | 10 | 6 | 61 | 28 | +33 | 73 | Promotion to Israeli Premier League |
| 3 | Hapoel Bnei Lod | 37 | 20 | 11 | 6 | 56 | 32 | +24 | 71 | |
| 4 | Hapoel Afula | 37 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 56 | 42 | +14 | 57 | |
| 5 | Maccabi Kiryat Gat | 37 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 36 | 36 | 0 | 49 | |
| 6 | Hapoel Ramat Gan | 37 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 47 | |
| 7 | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 37 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 54 | 67 | −13 | 45 | |
| 8 | Maccabi Yavne | 37 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 47 | 62 | −15 | 45 | |
| Home \ Away | BnY | HBL | HKS | HAF | MKG | MAN | MYA | HRG |
| Bnei Yehuda | | 0–0 | | 2–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | | |
| Hapoel Bnei Lod | | | 0–3 | | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Hapoel Kfar Saba | 0–1 | | | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | | |
| Hapoel Afula | | 1–1 | | | 4–1 | | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| Maccabi Kiryat Gat | | | | | | 1–3 | 5–0 | 0–0 |
| Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | | 3–5 | | 1–3 | | | 1–2 | |
| Maccabi Yavne | 1–1 | | 0–4 | | | | | 0–0 |
| Hapoel Ramat Gan | 4–3 | | 1–3 | | | 3–3 | | |

### Bottom Playoff

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| 9 | Hapoel Jerusalem | 37 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 47 | 47 | 0 | 50 | |
| 10 | Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 37 | 13 | 9 | 15 | 51 | 50 | +1 | 48 | |
| 11 | Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon | 37 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 39 | 40 | −1 | 48 | |
| 12 | Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | 37 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 44 | 53 | −9 | 47 | |
| 13 | Maccabi Herzliya | 37 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 42 | 46 | −4 | 44 | |
| 14 | Hapoel Nazareth Illit (O) | 37 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 41 | 54 | −13 | 39 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |
| 15 | Ironi Tiberias (R) | 37 | 9 | 10 | 18 | 38 | 50 | −12 | 37 | Relegation to Liga Alef |
| 16 | Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan (R) | 37 | 5 | 7 | 25 | 19 | 59 | −40 | 22 | Relegation to Liga Alef |
| Home \ Away | HRH | HRL | MHE | HJE | BTR | HNI | ITI | HAR |
| Hapoel Ramat HaSharon | | 4–1 | | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | | |
| Hapoel Rishon LeZion | | | 4–0 | | 0–0 | | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Maccabi Herzliya | 0–0 | | | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | | |
| Hapoel Jerusalem | | 1–1 | | | 3–3 | | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | | | | | | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–1 |
| Hapoel Nazareth Illit | | 2–1 | | 1–0 | | | 1–2 | |
| Ironi Tibieras | 3–0 | | 0–2 | | | | | 2–0 |
| Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan | 0–0 | | 2–2 | | | 1–0 | | |

## Relegation playoff
### Relegation playoff

The 14th-placed Hapoel Nazareth Illit faced 2014–15 Liga Alef promotion play-offs winner, Ironi Nesher. The matches took place on May 26 and 29, 2015.
Hapoel Nazareth Illit won 5–1 on aggregate and remained in Liga Leumit. Ironi Nesher remained in Liga Alef.

## Season statistics
### Scoring
#### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Pedro Galván | Bnei Yehuda | 22 |
| 2 | Ido Exbard | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 21 |
| 3 | Lanry Kahinda | Hapoel Afula | 20 |
| 4 | Ran Itzhak | Hapoel Kfar Saba | 17 |
| 5 | Shalom Akiva | Ironi Tiberias | 13 |
| 6 | Jordan Faucher | Maccabi Herzliya | 12 |
| 7 | Nevo Mizrahi | Hapoel Jerusalem | 11 |
| 7 | Yossi Ofir | Maccabi Yavne | 11 |
| 9 | Moshe Ben Lulu | Hapoel Bnei Lod | 10 |
| 9 | Ali Khatib | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 10 |
| 9 | Omri Shekel | Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 10 |
| 9 | Yossi Shivhon | Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon | 10 |
| 9 | Gal Tzruya | Bnei Yeuhda | 10 |
| 14 | Yinon Barda | Hapoel Bnei Lod | 9 |
| 14 | Almog Buzaglo | Hapoel Ramat Gan | 9 |
| 14 | Idan David | Hapoel Kfar Saba | 9 |
| 14 | Liron Elimelech | Ironi Tiberias | 9 |
| 14 | Uri Magbo | Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | 9 |
| 19 | Ben Azubel | Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon | 8 |
| 19 | Liron Diamant | Hapoel Ramat Gan | 8 |
| 19 | Eli Elbaz | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth/Ironi Tiberias | 8 |
| 19 | Didier Kougbenya | Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla | 8 |
| 19 | Issoumaila Lingane | Hapoel Ramat Gan | 8 |
| 19 | Branko Mihajlović | Hapoel Kfar Saba | 8 |
| 19 | Nir Nachum | Hapoel Rishon LeZion | 8 |
| 26 | 5 players | 5 players | 7 |
| 31 | 11 players | 11 players | 6 |
| 42 | 13 players | 13 players | 5 |
| 55 | 25 players | 25 players | 4 |
| 80 | 22 players | 22 players | 3 |
| 102 | 23 players | 23 players | 2 |
| 125 | 73 players | 73 players | 1 |
| 198 | Own goals | Own goals | 10 |
| Total | Total | Total | 739 |
| Average per game | Average per game | Average per game | 2.497 |
Updated: 25 May 2015 Source: Israel Football Association

### Discipline

* Most yellow cards: 11
** Osher Abu (Hapoel Jerusalem)
** Netanel Goldman (Hapoel Afula)
** Maor Kandil (Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon)
* Most red cards: 3
** Sun Menahem (Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon)