Maccabi Ahi Nazareth F.C.

Maccabi Ahi Nazareth

Full name

Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Football Club

Nickname(s)

The Green Nazarenes, Akhaa', Nazaret, Kvutsat HaMegzar, HaYarokim MeNatzrat

Founded

1968

Ground

Ilut Stadium, Ilut

Capacity

4,932

Chairman

Kayed Abu Ayash

Manager

Rifaat Turk

League

Liga Leumit

2014–15

7th

Home colours

Away colours

Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Football Club (Hebrew: מכבי אחי נצרת, Mo'adon Kaduregel Maccabi Aḥi Natzrat; Arabic: نادي كرة القدم اخاء الناصرة‎, Nade Korat Alqadam Maccabi Ekhaa Al-Nasera) is an Israeli football club based in Nazareth. The club is currently in the Liga Leumit and plays at the Ilut Stadium in Ilut on the outskirts of the city.

History

The club was formed in 1968, and played in Liga Gimel until 1975. In 1998 they were promoted to Liga Artzit (then the second tier), finishing eighth in the league. In 1999–2000 and 2000–01 they finished one place above the relegation zone.

The 2002–03 season saw the club claim the Liga Leumit title, despite being deducted three points for playing an ineligible player, under the leadership of Azmi Nassar. They were promoted to the Israeli Premier League for the first time in their history. Fellow Israeli Arab club Bnei Sakhnin were also promoted, marking the first time two Arab clubs had been in the top division.

However, in their first season in the top division, the club finished bottom and were relegated back to Liga Leumit. The following season they were relegated again (due to a two-point deduction), and dropped back into the third division. In 2005–06 they finished as Liga Artzit runners-up, to make an immediate return to Liga Leumit, where they have remained since.

In 2008–09, the club was promoted to the Israeli Premier League.

After one of the worst seasons in the Israeli Premier League the club finished in the last spot of the league, In the last match she lost to Hapoel Ramat Gan 0–7 and were directly relegated to Liga Leumit for the 2010–11 season.

In the 2014–15 Israel State Cup, the club reached the Semi-finals for the first time in their history, after eliminating Maccabi Netanya, F.C. Ashdod and Hapoel Kfar Saba. However, in the Semi-finals, they were beaten 0-3 by the eventual cup winners, Maccabi Tel Aviv in Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem.

Current squad

As of 3 February 2016.

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Gad Amos
2	DF	Taye Babalola
3	DF	Wesam Rabah
5	DF	Akram Shariach
6	MF	Adham Hadiya
7	MF	Moamen Saleh
8	MF	Amjad Sliman
9	FW	Luciano Leonel Cigno
10	MF	Anas Dabour
11	FW	Mohammed Khatib
13	DF	Paty Yeye Lenkebe
14	MF	Baha Abu Shibab
15	DF	Gal Sapir
17	FW	Omri Ron

No.	Position	Player
18	DF	Muhammed Shakhbari
19	MF	Habeb Jaber
20	MF	Sfouan Hilou
21	FW	Zidan Amar
23	FW	Ali El-Khatib
24	DF	Savity Lipenia
25	MF	Ravid Gazal
26	MF	Itay Elkaslasy
29	DF	I'yad Hutba
33	GK	Ibrahim Nijem
45	GK	Ahmed Akriya
88	MF	Isa Bakir
	DF	Mohammed Tales
	MF	Obieda Abu Rabiya

Past managers

Honours

Liga Alef:
- Winners (1): 1997-98
Liga Leumit:
- Winners (1): 2002-03
Liga Artzit:
- Runners-up (1): 2005–06

Notable former and present players

External links

Official website (Hebrew)
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Israel Football Association (Hebrew)

Liga Leumit

Clubs	Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla F.C. Ashdod Hapoel Afula Hapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Bnei Lod Hapoel Jerusalem Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem Hapoel Nazareth Illit Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Ramat HaSharon Hapoel Rishon LeZion Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Maccabi Herzliya Maccabi Kiryat Gat Maccabi Yavne

Stadia	Afula Illit Stadium Green Stadium Grundman Stadium Haberfeld Stadium HaMoshava Stadium Herzliya Municipal Stadium Ilut Stadium Lod Municipal Stadium Ness Ziona Stadium Ramla Municipal Stadium Sala Stadium Teddy Stadium Winter Stadium Yud-Alef Stadium

Seasons (second level)	1937 1939 1940 1941–42 1946–47 1949–50 1951–52 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16

Israeli Premier League

Clubs	Beitar Jerusalem Bnei Sakhnin Bnei Yehuda Hapoel Acre Hapoel Be'er Sheva Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Kfar Saba Hapoel Ra'anana Hapoel Tel Aviv Ironi Kiryat Shmona Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Petah Tikva Maccabi Tel Aviv

Stadiums	Acre Stadium Bloomfield Stadium Doha Stadium HaMoshava Stadium Ironi Stadium Levita Stadium Netanya Stadium Sammy Ofer Stadium Teddy Stadium Turner Stadium

Former clubs	F.C. Ashdod Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan Hapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Jerusalem Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Rishon LeZion Hapoel Nazareth Illit Hapoel Tzafririm Holon Hapoel Ramat HaSharon Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Maccabi Herzliya Maccabi Kiryat Gat

Competition	Champions Foreign players Players with 100+ goals Records All-time table

Seasons	1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16

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