Hapoel Kfar Sava edge past Maccabi Herzliya in tense affair
Maccabi Herzliya hosted Hapoel Kfar Sava in the third round of the Liga Leumit, and the visitors claimed all three points with a 2-0 victory on Sunday. The result leaves both sides level on three points each, though Maccabi sit tenth while Hapoel occupy fourteenth place. By then, the match had already shown its character — one side controlling territory but unable to convert, the other making their chances count.
R. Buganim opened the scoring in the third minute, giving Maccabi an early lead that surprised many watching from the stands. To be fair, the home side dominated possession at 56 per cent and registered 87 attacks compared to their opponents' 76. But the goal changed nothing about the flow — Maccabi continued to press forward, and the visitors sat deeper, waiting for their moment. The crowd grew restless as the half progressed without another goal.
And here's the thing about this match: it was decided in the final moments. Y. Solel scored for Hapoel Kfar Sava in the 90th minute plus three, capping a resilient defensive display. The home side had three shots on target against five for the visitors, yet only one result emerged. Maccabi picked up two bookings in the closing stages, frustration showing through. The stadium fell silent as the away players celebrated on the pitch.
Statistics tell an uneven story. Maccabi controlled the ball but could not find the net until the dying seconds, while Hapoel made peace with less possession and more efficiency. Both sides received three yellow cards, and neither team took a goal kick — an unusual detail that suggests one side dominated the build-up entirely. The home side's eight shots off target against their three on target tells you everything about the night.
Both teams arrived with identical records from two previous rounds — one win and two defeats each. Maccabi had beaten Ironi Modiin 2-0 before losing to Hapoel Ra'anana 3-2, while Hapoel Kfar Sava lost 1-4 to Ironi Modiin and 0-2 to Hapoel Rishon Lezion. The result keeps them separated by four places in the table, but on points, neither side has pulled away. Three points from three matches is a modest start for both clubs.