Ironi Nesher moved away from the relegation zone with a 2-0 win over Ironi Baka al-Gharbiya in the Liga Alef North stage on Wednesday. The result shifted both sides in the table, with the visitors climbing to tenth place while the hosts remained ninth on 31 points.
Nesher took control early and kept it. They registered 65 attacks to their hosts' 38 and carried 63 per cent possession. Their 18 shots on target produced two goals, while Baka al-Gharbiya could only manage nine attempts.
And here's the thing — the match changed shape after the home side were reduced to ten men. The red card came in the first half and turned what was becoming a tight affair into a one-sided contest. By then, the visitors had already established their dominance.
To be fair, this was a reversal of their fixture earlier this season. On 27 February both sides shared a goalless draw at the same ground. Now the visitors have taken both points from the same venue, closing the gap in the standings.
The home side's recent form offered little comfort. Their last five matches showed three consecutive draws and losses, with only a 4-1 victory over Maccabi Neve Shaanan on 6 February providing any real positivity.
For the away team, the win followed a convincing 6-1 victory over Tzeirei Tamra on Tuesday. They can now point to five points separating them from Baka al-Gharbiya, though both sides have nine defeats in 22 games.
We had backed the hosts on the basis of their home advantage, but the match refused to go our way. The red card and the visitors' clinical finishing were not in our calculations.