Sektzia Nes Tziona F.C.

Sektzia Nes Tziona (Hebrew: סקציית כדורגל נס-ציונה‎, Sektziyat Kaduregel Nes Tziona, lit. Football Section Nes Tziona) are a football club from the southern Israeli city of Ness Ziona. They currently play in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier of Israeli football. Home matches were previously played at the Ness Ziona Stadium. Upon their promotion to the Premier League for the 2019–20 season, the club moved its home matches to the HaMoshava Stadium in Petah Tikva.

Sektzia Nes Tziona
Full nameFootball Section Nes Tziona
Founded1955 (1955)
2005 (Refounded)
GroundHaMoshava Stadium, Petah Tikva
Capacity11,500
Chairman Eli Cohen
ManagerLior Zada
LeagueIsraeli Premier League
2018–19Liga Leumit, 2nd (promoted)

History

The club was founded as F.S. Nes Ziona in 1955, following a merger of the local football clubs in Ness Ziona.[1] In their second season of existence they were promoted from Liga Gimel to Liga Bet.[1][2] In the 1962–63 season, they won Liga Bet South B division and were promoted to Liga Alef. Three season later, in the 1965–66 season, they won Liga Alef South division and were promoted to Liga Leumit, then the top division. The 1966–68 season was played over two years and involved a 4-round (60 match) competition. However, the club managed only eight wins and were relegated. This was to be their only appearance in the top division to date.

During the mid-1990s the club played in Liga Artzit, then the second tier. In the 1998–99 season the club finished second from bottom and had four points deducted for breaking budget rules.[3] They were due to be relegated to the third tier, but were demoted to the fourth tier, Liga Alef, as their budget for the 1999–2000 season was not approved by the Israel Football Association.[4] After finishing bottom of Liga Alef in 2000–01, they folded.

In the 2004–05 season, Liga Bet club from Ness Ziona, Maccabi Ben Zvi, became Ironi Nes Tziona[5] or Maccabi Ben Zvi\Ironi, as recognized by the Israel Football Association.[6] Ironi finished as runners-up to Hapoel Arad, and promoted to Liga Alef after successful promotion play-offs against Hapoel Azor and Beitar Giv'at Ze'ev.[6] Ironi Nes Tziona was renamed in the summer of 2005, becoming Sektzia Nes Tziona (from the Russian word for "Section"), and the club was reborn. at the end of the 2005–06 season, the club won Liga Alef South and promotion to Liga Artzit.

The club won Liga Artzit in 2008–09, the last season of Liga Artzit as the third tier of Israeli football, and was promoted to Liga Leumit. In the 2012–13 season, the club finished second bottom in Liga Leumit and relegated to Liga Alef, where they play today. After a few seasons in Liga Leumit, they became 2nd league champions in 2018-19, and started in the Israel Premier League in 2019-20.

Current squad
As of 6 February 2020
No. Position Player
3 DF Noam Cohen
4 DF Dries Wuytens
5 DF Benel Edri
6 DF Francisco Dutari
7 MF Dor Kochav
8 MF Jahmir Hyka
9 FW Raz Stein
10 MF Sahar Levy
11 DF Ben Sitelkol
13 GK Matan Zalmanovic
14 MF Dor Galili
15 DF Raz Nachmias
No. Position Player
17 FW Moussa Maâzou
23 MF Seaikou Touray
24 MF Shay Elias
25 MF Guy Badash
28 MF Elad Shahaf
30 DF Itay Ozeri
33 DF Ramaric Etou
51 MF Ofek Bitton
55 GK Omri Glazer
77 MF Sabien Lilaj
99 MF Amnon Tadele
FW Eial Strahman

Honours

References
  1. Room at the top Maariv, 27.7.66, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  2. S.K. Nes Tziona and Hapoel Holon promoted to Liga Bet Heruth, 2.7.57, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  3. Israel Second Level 1998/99 RSSSF
  4. Israel Third Level 1999/2000 RSSSF
  5. Liga Bet South B One (in Hebrew)
  6. Maccabi Ben Zvi\"Ironi" The Israel Football Association (in Hebrew)
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