Maccabi Haifa v Kafr Qasim

Maccabi Haifa progressed to the semi-finals of the State Cup with a 2-0 victory over Kafr Qasim at the Sammy Ofer Stadium. The result was defined by two clinical moments in the first and final minutes of the match, while the second-half narrative was shaped by a flurry of yellow cards from both sides. The Lemeister model had made Maccabi Haifa marginal favourites at 42 per cent pre-match, but the clean sheet and two-goal margin represented a cleaner outcome than its projected 1-0 win.

The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute when M. Ohana found the net for the home side. The goal, a normal finish rather than a penalty or own goal, gave Maccabi Haifa a lead they would not relinquish. With no assist recorded, it was an individual piece of finishing that shifted the dynamic of the tie. The remainder of the first half passed without further goals, but the home side had the platform they needed.

The second half brought a significant increase in disciplinary interventions. Kafr Qasim's G. Atuahene was cautioned in the 47th minute, and Maccabi Haifa's P. Cornud followed in the 56th. A. Seck of the home side was booked in the 68th minute, before Kafr Qasim's O. Amer received a yellow card two minutes later. A. Sarsur of the away side was also shown a yellow card in the 84th minute. The match was sealed in the 90th minute when C. F. Don scored, with M. Benson providing the assist. The goal ensured the tie was beyond doubt before M. Benson himself was booked in the 95th minute. Both sides made four and five substitutions respectively, reflecting the physical toll of the contest.

Statistical data for the match is unavailable, preventing a detailed breakdown of possession, shots, expected goals or passing accuracy. However, the pattern of the game can be inferred from the goal timings and the card count. Kafr Qasim received four yellow cards to Maccabi Haifa's three, suggesting a contest that became increasingly fractious as the away side chased the game after the interval. The absence of any saves or blocked shots in the data implies that clear-cut chances may have been limited, but the two goals that did arrive were decisive.

Player match ratings are not provided, so individual performance assessments are restricted to the two goalscorers and the assister. M. Ohana's first-half strike was the crucial moment that settled the tie, while C. F. Don's late finish confirmed progress. M. Benson's contribution as provider for the second goal will be noted, even if his subsequent booking was a minor blemish.

For Maccabi Haifa, this victory secures a place in the semi-finals of the State Cup, keeping alive their hopes of domestic silverware. Kafr Qasim exit the competition at the quarter-final stage, having been unable to turn their energetic second-half effort into a meaningful response to Ohana's early goal. The Lemeister model's pre-match read had assigned the away side a 28 per cent chance of advancing, and in the end they fell short by two goals.