NETIVOT, Israel (Interstat) — Maccabi Ironi Netivot will play host to MK Hapoel Ashkelon on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in the State Cup Women, with both clubs trying to turn around after losses in their most recent matches.

Netivot is coming off a 1-0 defeat at Hapoel Bnei Ashdod on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Ashkelon enters with a 3-2 loss at MS Shikun HaMizrah on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Those results give each side reason to tighten its defense: Netivot conceded once, while Ashkelon allowed three goals. The cup matchup, however, presents a fresh start and a direct path to the next round.

The date is not entirely straightforward. The match is announced for Wednesday, Aug. 26, but club schedules also list the same fixture for Friday, Aug. 28. The reason for the discrepancy was not included in the available information.

The statistical outlook is split. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 1-0 final score in favor of MK Hapoel Ashkelon. Interstat’s ELO system, meanwhile, gives Maccabi Ironi Netivot a 62.80 percent probability to win. In other words, the simulator sees the visiting side’s attack breaking through, while the ELO model weights Netivot’s overall rating more heavily than its most recent result.

For Ashkelon, the cup tie offers a chance to build on a sharper recent schedule; the team last played Sept. 5, 2025. Netivot’s last listed match, by comparison, came Aug. 28, 2025, more than a week earlier. Neither team has another listed fixture beyond this cup match in the data provided, so the importance of the game is clear.

The State Cup Women is a knockout competition in Israel, and Wednesday’s winner will keep its season alive. Netivot will rely on home advantage in a cup setting where margins are often small. Ashkelon will try to translate its simulator edge into actual goals. The ELO model’s 62.80 percent suggests that, across a larger sample, Netivot would be the stronger side; the simulator’s 1-0 line suggests that in one match, a single goal may decide the outcome.

Kickoff time and the exact venue in Netivot have not been announced. No player injury reports or lineup notes were available. The teams will meet in a single knockout fixture, with no home-and-away safety net. Given the conflicting projections, the match is likely to be tight.

Both teams will enter the pitch looking for a response to their most recent losses. Ashkelon might have momentum from playing more recently; Netivot might have the rating advantage. On Wednesday, or Friday if the schedule listing is correct, those factors will be settled on the field.