Bye bye Barcelona

Euro dream over for little Kiryat Shmona

After 1:1 home tie in Champions League playoff, consolation prize for Israeli soccer champions is a place in Europa League

By Philip Podolsky 29 August 2012, 12:33 am Edit
Lensce scores a free-kick for Kiryat Shmona (photo credit: screen capture)
Lensce scores a free-kick for Kiryat Shmona (photo credit: screen capture)

Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona on Tuesday bowed out from the final qualifying round of the prestigious UEFA Champions League after failing to overturn a 2:0 deficit from the first leg against the Belarusian side BATE Borisov.

The home game ended in a 1:1 draw, after Lensce opened the score for the Israeli side with an outstanding free kick midway through the second half. Kiryat Shmona played positive, attacking football and were unlucky in failing to covert a number of goal-scoring opportunities. Pavlov scored for BATE in stoppage time following a counterattacking move.

Kiryat Shmona won the national title for the first time in its history four months ago, and has made impressive strides in international soccer.

A Champions League place would have pitted Kiryat Shmona against the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea. The consolation prize for the Israeli champions is a place in the less prestigious Europa League.

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