TIRA, Israel (Interstat) — MS Tira scored twice in the first half and beat Hapoel Tirat Karmel 2-0 on Thursday in a football match at home. Said O. put the home side ahead in the third minute, and Assaf Hershko added the second goal in the 29th minute. Hapoel Tirat Karmel could not find a response before halftime or after the break, and MS Tira closed out the match without conceding. The home win moved MS Tira to 4 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw in the competition and to 5 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw across all competitions. Hapoel Tirat Karmel fell to 0 wins and 4 losses in the competition and to 0 wins and 4 losses across all competitions.

MS Tira opened with pressure and needed little time to take the lead. Said O. scored in the third minute, giving the home side an early advantage. The home team kept the visiting defense under strain and doubled its lead when Hershko scored in the 29th minute. Hershko played the full 90 minutes and finished with one goal. The two-goal cushion held through the rest of the first half and the second half, as Hapoel Tirat Karmel was unable to pull a goal back. Hapoel Tirat Karmel did not score in the first half or the second half.

Hapoel Tirat Karmel entered the match after a 4-0 loss to Nahariya, a 4-0 loss to Beit Shean and a 1-0 loss at Hapoel Karmiel. The visiting side remained without a win in the competition this season and also stayed without a win across all competitions. MS Tira came in after a 1-0 win at Hapoel Umm al-Fahm, a 3-2 home win over Maccabi Ma’alot Tarshiha, a 2-1 home win over Ironi Nesher, a 3-2 win at Maccabi Neve Shaanan Eldad and a 1-1 home draw with Hapoel Bnei Musmus. The result kept MS Tira unbeaten in the competition and across all competitions this season.

Said O. struck in the third minute, and Hershko made it 2-0 in the 29th minute. Hapoel Tirat Karmel’s defense kept the home side from adding another goal after the break, but the visiting attack could not produce a goal of its own. MS Tira protected the lead and finished with a clean sheet. MS Tira’s lead was never reduced after Hershko’s goal, and Hapoel Tirat Karmel finished the match without a goal. The home side’s clean sheet followed its two first-half goals and kept the visiting side at 0 goals total. Hapoel Tirat Karmel’s record remained 0 wins and 4 losses in the competition and 0 wins and 4 losses across all competitions. The home side’s record in the competition now stands at 4 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw, while its overall record is 5 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw. Hapoel Tirat Karmel’s competition record is 0 wins and 4 losses, matching its overall record of 0 wins and 4 losses.

MS Tira’s Assaf Hershko was among the key performers, with one goal while playing the full 90 minutes. Said O. also scored for MS Tira. The goals came in the third and 29th minutes, and neither side scored after Hershko’s finish. Hapoel Tirat Karmel was unable to erase the early deficit and remained without a goal in the match. The contest ended with MS Tira ahead 2-0.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of MS Tira 2, Hapoel Tirat Karmel 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected MS Tira with a 67.3 percent probability to win. MS Tira had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 2 went over the over/under line of 2.5.