Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi came from behind to beat Hapoel Sderot 2:1 in the Liga Alef South-2 division on Wednesday evening. The visitors took all three points despite playing the final ten minutes with ten men after a dismissal in the ninetieth minute.
O. Zohar opened the scoring for the hosts at the twenty-fourth minute, giving them an advantage they would hold for more than an hour. The goal came from sustained pressure, though the statistics show Hapoel Sderot had five percent more possession overall.
By then the visitors had found their rhythm and equalised at the seventy-sixth minute. To be fair, Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi had been patient, absorbing the early pressure before turning it around after the break. Their attacks totalled sixty-three compared to the hosts' seventy-seven, but efficiency matters more than volume.
And here's the thing about the end of this match — a red card for the away side at the ninety-minute mark should have handed Hapoel Sderot the victory. Instead, Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi went for the jugular and scored at ninety-six minutes to complete the turnaround. The incident went to review, but the decision stood, leaving the visitors with a dramatic win.
The statistics tell a story of control without dominance. Hapoel Sderot held fifty-five percent possession and recorded seventy-seven attacks, yet managed only one corner. Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi made sixty-three attacks with a single corner and still produced two goals, including the winner after being reduced to ten men.
The result moves Maccabi Kiryat Malakhi to fifth place in the table with thirty-five points from twenty-two games. They have won ten, drawn five and lost seven, and this victory extends their ability to compete in the upper half. Hapoel Sderot remain in the middle of the pack, having started the season brightly with a 4:1 win on the third of September.