Hapoel Bnei Lod F.C.

Hapoel Bnei Lod
Hapoel Bnei Lod's emblem
Full nameHapoel Bnei Lod Rakevet Football Club
Founded1969
1997 (Merger)
GroundLod Municipal Stadium, Lod
Capacity3,000
ManagerAvivi Zohar
LeagueLiga Alef South
2023–24Liga Alef South, 16th (relegated)

Hapoel Bnei Lod Rakevet F.C. (Hebrew: הפועל בני לוד) is a football club from the central Israeli city of Lod. The club plays in an all-red kit in Liga Alef South, the third tier of Israeli football. Home matches are played at the Lod Municipal Stadium.

History

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The club was founded in 1969 and joined Liga Dalet, then the fifth and lowest tier of Israeli football league system.[1] In 1997, Hapoel Bnei Lod merged with Hapoel Rakevet Lod (both clubs played in Liga Gimel Central division) and formed Hapoel Bnei Lod Rakevet, under the management of Abu Subhi.[2]

After the merger, the club won Liga Gimel Central division and reached Liga Bet for the first time in the 1998–99 season. In 2003–04 they won Liga Bet South B division.[3] The following season the club won Liga Alef South division and promotion to Liga Artzit (the third tier). The winning run continued in 2005–06 as the club claimed the Liga Artzit championship to win promotion to Liga Leumit.

The club was close to achieve promotion to the Israeli Premier League at the end of the 2011–12 season, when they finished level in points with the first placed, Hapoel Ramat Gan. the two clubs faced in a decisive promotion play-off held in HaMoshava Stadium in Petah Tikva. Bnei Lod lost 0–2 and remained in Liga Leumit.[4]

In the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons, the club finished third, one place short from promotion to the Israeli Premier League.

On 9 December 2014, the club won their first ever piece of silverware, winning the 2014–15 second division's Toto Cup after beating Bnei Yehuda 2–0.[5]

Current squad

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As to 12 September 2021
No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Israel ISR Lidor Cohen
2 DF Israel ISR Daniel Cohen
3 DF Israel ISR Sagiv Cohen
4 DF Israel ISR Sagi Kabilio
5 DF Israel ISR Omer Rismani
6 DF Israel ISR Bantayo Damane
8 MF Israel ISR Sliman Al Kadiem
9 MF Israel ISR Mervi Bergebedze
10 MF Israel ISR Mohammed Alajo
11 MF Israel ISR Yanai David
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 GK Israel ISR Omer Ouliel
14 MF Israel ISR Yonatan Cohen
15 MF Israel ISR Ron Yosef
17 DF Israel ISR Almog Asraf
18 MF Israel ISR Sergey Kurik
19 MF Israel ISR Omer Shirazi
20 DF Israel ISR Ido Ben Yosef
21 DF Israel ISR Eve Bukris
29 MF Israel ISR Gil Pahima
55 DF Israel ISR Tal Gromes

Past players

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Honours

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Honour No. Years
Third tier 1 2005–06
Fourth tier 1 2004–05
Fifth tier 2 1997–98, 2003–04

Cup competitions

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Honour No. Years
Toto Cup (second tier) 1 2014–15

Notable managers

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References

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  1. ^ And again Liga... Dalet (Page 7) Hadshot HaSport, 26.9.1969, archive.football.co.il (in Hebrew)
  2. ^ Bnei Lod's chairman: Maccabi Tel Aviv is in the level of Liga Artzit Aviad Pohoryles & Tomer Am Shalem, nrg.co.il, 20.2.2006 (in Hebrew)
  3. ^ Liga Bet South B Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine One (in Hebrew)
  4. ^ Hapoel Ramat Gan in the Premier League with 2:0 over Bnei Lod One, 18.5.2013 (in Hebrew)
  5. ^ Bnei Lod won the Toto Cup of Liga Leumit Walla, 9.12.2014 (in Hebrew)