TEL AVIV, Israel (Interstat) — In a dramatic State Cup Women’s match that defied pregame projections, MH Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona edged MK Hapoel Ramat Gan 3-2 on Friday at Ramat Gan Stadium.

The visiting side from Kiryat Shmona secured the victory with a 90th-minute goal from Wale Musa Alli, capping a second half that saw four goals in a frantic 24-minute span. The result advanced Kiryat Shmona in the Israeli women’s football competition and handed the host side a narrow defeat in its cup opener.

The match began with immediate fireworks as Kiryat Shmona’s Dagatz Worko stunned the home crowd with a goal in just the fourth minute. That early strike set a tone of efficiency for the visitors, who then weathered sustained pressure from Ramat Gan for the remainder of the first half and much of the second.

The game’s complexion changed entirely after the hour mark. Ramat Gan’s Yuval Sason finally broke through for the equalizer in the 66th minute, seemingly shifting momentum firmly in favor of the hosts. That shift appeared to solidify just four minutes later when Aviv Avraham scored for Ramat Gan in the 70th minute, completing a quick turnaround and putting the home side ahead 2-1.

However, Kiryat Shmona responded with urgency. Ariel Shirdatzki leveled the score at 2-2 in the 76th minute, capitalizing on the renewed energy from the visitors. With the match headed toward a potential draw, Alli delivered the decisive blow in the final minute of regulation time, securing the 3-2 road victory for Kiryat Shmona.

The outcome was a statistical surprise. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a low-scoring 1-0 win for Kiryat Shmona, while its ELO rating system had given Ramat Gan a 65.30 percent probability of winning the contest. The actual five-goal affair and final result contradicted both forecasts.

With the win, MH Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona begins its State Cup campaign with one win and no losses, and its overall season record across all competitions also moves to one win and no losses. For MK Hapoel Ramat Gan, the narrow defeat marks an 0-1 start in both the State Cup and in its combined season record.

The match was played on Dec. 26, 2025, as part of the early rounds of Israel’s domestic women’s cup tournament.