AFULA, Israel (Interstat) — Hapoel Afula beat Kiryat Gat 1-0 on Friday at Afula Illit Stadium, getting the only goal in the 76th minute to settle a match that stayed scoreless for most of the night. The home side took the lead late and then held off Kiryat Gat’s attempts to find an equalizer. The result gave Hapoel Afula a home victory and left Kiryat Gat without a win in the competition. Kiryat Gat finished the match with 0 goals.

The game was a tight, cautious contest for long stretches. Hapoel Afula controlled possession for parts of the first half and after the break but did not turn that control into an earlier breakthrough. Kiryat Gat defended in numbers and looked for chances on the counter. The decisive moment arrived in the 76th minute, when Hapoel Afula finally scored. Kiryat Gat pushed forward after conceding, but Hapoel Afula maintained its defensive shape and protected the narrow lead through the final whistle. Neither side created many clear openings before the goal, and the visitors were forced to chase the game after falling behind. Hapoel Afula’s midfield kept Kiryat Gat from building sustained attacks for much of the second half.

Kiryat Gat entered the match after a run of three draws and two losses. It drew 2-2 with M. Nazareth, drew 0-0 with SC Ashdod, drew 2-2 with Kiryat Yam, lost 2-1 to Bnei Yehuda and lost 1-0 to MS Kafr Qasim. Hapoel Afula entered with a better recent run: it beat Nahariya 3-1, lost 2-0 to Hapoel Kfar Saba, drew 0-0 with M. Herzliya and beat Ironi Modiin 2-1. The visitors had been competitive in several of those matches but had not converted draws into wins.

Kiryat Gat’s season record in the competition is now 0 wins, 3 losses and 3 draws. Its record across all competitions also stands at 0 wins, 3 losses and 3 draws. Hapoel Afula’s competition record is now 2 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw, while its record across all competitions is 3 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw. Kiryat Gat remained without a win, and Hapoel Afula added another result to its competition account.

Afula Illit Stadium hosted a match short on clear scoring chances until the late goal. Hapoel Afula’s breakthrough came with enough time for Kiryat Gat to respond, but the visitors could not produce a tying goal. Hapoel Afula managed the final minutes without conceding and sealed the 1-0 result. The home victory added to Hapoel Afula’s overall record and extended Kiryat Gat’s winless start. Kiryat Gat made a late attempt to press for a tie, but Hapoel Afula cleared the danger and kept the ball away from its goal in the final minutes. The visitors were unable to turn late possession into a clear shot on goal.

Kiryat Gat’s scoring problems continued in the match, with the visitors held to 0 goals total. Hapoel Afula scored 1 goal total, all that was needed for the win. The only goal came in the 76th minute. Hapoel Afula’s defense protected the advantage over the closing stretch, and Kiryat Gat’s final push did not produce an equalizer. The match ended with Hapoel Afula ahead 1-0. The home side’s one-goal margin proved enough, and the final whistle confirmed the home win. Hapoel Afula’s players held their positions through the closing minutes and did not allow Kiryat Gat a final chance to level.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Hapoel Afula 2, Kiryat Gat 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Hapoel Afula with a 75 percent probability to win. Hapoel Afula had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 1 went over the over-under line of 2.5.