UEFA Soccer: Hapoel TA fans to be limited in Rishon

Only 350 Hapoel Tel Aviv fans will be able to attend the club's UEFA Cup first round qualifying match.

By ALLON SINAI
spurs hapoel tel aviv (photo credit: AP)
spurs hapoel tel aviv
(photo credit: AP)
Only 350 Hapoel Tel Aviv fans will be able to attend the club's UEFA Cup first round qualifying match against Jovenes/Dogana of San Marino at Rishon Lezion on Thursday, the police decided on Monday. The police have determined that the municipal stadium in Rishon doesn't have enough emergency exits and therefore Hapoel supporters will only be permitted to sit in one section of the stadium, from which they'll be able to leave swiftly should the need arise. Hapoel management and fans were understandably outraged by the decision and approached Sports Minister Ghaleb Majadle, hoping he might convince the police to rethink its verdict on the game's attendance Hapoel is hosting the match in Rishon due to renovation work at Bloomfield Stadium. In each of the last two seasons Hapoel Tel Aviv reached the group stage of the UEFA Cup. Two years ago the team got as far as the last 16 and last year it was knocked out at the group stage after losing three of its four matches and finishing in last position. Also on Thursday, Ironi Kiryat Shmona will make its European debut at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium. The team from the north will face Montenegrin side Mogren, also in the first leg of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup. Ironi Kiryat Shmona finished third in its first ever season in the Israeli Premier League last season.