Match outlook: a tight Liga Leumit clash in Ramla
Ramla Municipal Stadium will host a compelling Liga Leumit meeting on 19/01/2026 as Hapoel Kfar Shalem welcome Hapoel Ra'anana in Round 19. On paper this is a classic mid-table scrap: Kfar Shalem sit 8th with 25 points from 18 matches, while Ra'anana are just below them in 10th with 24 points. The numbers paint a picture of two teams who are capable of producing surprises, but who also have contrasting recent rhythms and defensive profiles that will shape the likely pattern of the game.
Kfar Shalem's recent string has been jagged — only two wins in their last ten competitive outings with a sequence that reads D-L-L-L-W-L-D-W-L-L. They have shown flashes, such as the 3-1 away victory over Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa earlier in December, but inconsistency remains their hallmark. At home they have netted 13 goals while conceding 15, which suggests vulnerability at the back despite a moderate goalscoring return.
Ra'anana arrive with more positive momentum, registering five wins, two draws and three defeats in their last ten. They have demonstrated resilience away from home: 11 goals scored and just 8 conceded in their away fixtures, and five clean sheets overall this season underlining a defense that can be compact and difficult to break down on the road. Their recent cup match ended in a narrow 0-1 defeat to Maccabi Haifa, but in league action they have produced wins against Rishon LeZion and Maccabi Herzliya, evidence they can impose themselves against comparable opposition.
Tactical expectation and how the match could unfold
Given Kfar Shalem’s tendency to concede at home and Ra'anana’s relative defensive solidity away, this contest looks likely to be cagey in stretches rather than a free-scoring affair. Kfar Shalem have seen a fair share of over-2.5 matches this season, yet Ra'anana’s away record — lower BTTS incidence and multiple clean sheets — points towards an encounter where chances may be at a premium and margins small. The head-to-head meeting earlier in the season saw Kfar Shalem triumph 3-1 away, but form and home/away splits since then suggest Ra'anana will not be an easy scalp in Ramla.
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Betting suggestion
Considering the contrasting profiles — Kfar Shalem's inconsistency at home and Ra'anana's better defensive away numbers with five clean sheets — the most sensible single-market pick here is the goal market. Back Under 2.5 goals. The data favors a low-scoring contest where one defensive side can frustrate and where both teams may find it hard to score freely. Stake cautiously and factor in that cup fixtures and prior meetings can alter short-term form, but for this matchup Under 2.5 appears the value play.
