Kiryat Yam hosted Maccabi Bnei Reineh in the second round of the Liga Leumit regular season on Sunday afternoon. The hosts went ahead late, with a goal in the 87th minute followed by another from Y. Sasson just a minute later. Two red cards arrived in stoppage time, one for M. Jabarin in the 90th minute and another unnamed player immediately after. By then the result was already settled, but the drama continued.
And here's the thing about those final minutes. Two goals in 60 seconds changed everything for both sides. The hosts had been pressing forward all game, throwing bodies in the way to create chances. But the red cards meant the match descended into chaos at the worst possible moment.
The numbers told a different story from the final score. Kiryat Yam controlled 60 per cent of possession and registered 109 attacks compared to 84 for the visitors. They won 6 corners to 2, and had 10 shots off target against only 2 on target. Maccabi Bnei Reineh managed 4 shots on target with just 4 off target, but their defensive resolve held firm.
Both teams enter this fixture with identical records. Three games played for each side, one victory, two defeats, and three points on the board. The hosts sit ninth while the visitors occupy thirteenth place in the table. This narrow win does little to separate them on points, though the psychological boost for Maccabi Bnei Reineh is clear.
To be fair, the statistical dominance of Kiryat Yam suggests they created more opportunities. But football matches are decided in moments, not averages. The visitors took their chances when it mattered most, and that is what counts.