Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Hapoel Petah Tikva 2nd with 71 points, Hapoel Kfar Saba 7th with 47, 24 apart. Recent form told a different story for Hapoel Kfar Saba: only 23rd in the league over the last five rounds despite sitting 7th. Scoring rates set the scale: Hapoel Petah Tikva 1.73 scored and 0.63 conceded per game, Hapoel Kfar Saba 1.16 and 1.32, with the league averaging 1.33.
Hapoel Petah Tikva came in having won six on the spin, having scored in 13 consecutive games. The last-five ledger: Hapoel Petah Tikva 15/15, Hapoel Kfar Saba 7/15.
Across 9 recorded meetings, Hapoel Petah Tikva have 4 wins to Hapoel Kfar Saba's 4, with 1 draw, at 3.11 goals per meeting. Both teams scored in 67% of the meetings. The last five meetings averaged 4 goals, well above the all-time 3.11.
The venue was HaMoshava Stadium in Petach-Tikva, with room for 11,500 spectators. Hapoel Petah Tikva led 1-0 at the break — the second half brought no more goals and it finished 1-0.