Match Preview: Tight contest in Bnei-Lod with a hint of edge to the hosts
Hapoel Ramat Gan welcome Hapoel Ra'anana to the Lod Municipal Stadium on February 2, 2026, in a Liga Leumit regular season clash that promises a tactical scrap more than a goal-fest. On paper the gap between these two sides is narrow — Ramat Gan sit 8th with 27 points while Ra'anana are 12th on 25 — but the underlying numbers offer Ramat Gan a subtle advantage. The hosts have been inconsistent but capable of grinding results: seven wins, six draws and seven defeats from 20 matches and a slightly healthier goal difference, 28 scored to 26 conceded. Their recent run reads L-D-D-W-L-D-W-L-L-D, a sequence that mixes resilience with susceptibility to lapses.
Ra'anana arrive with a patchy but slightly more optimistic recent form: D-L-L-W-W-L-D-W-W-D over the last ten shows they can put wins together, especially away from places of pressure. However their season totals expose a vulnerability on home soil — only nine goals scored at home against 18 conceded — and that frailty is the fulcrum of the preview. Away defensive numbers are better for Ra'anana (10 conceded away) but their overall goal return is lower (21 in 20), suggesting they are reliant on compact moments rather than sustained dominance.
Key statistics and the head-to-head whisper
The previous meeting this season was a convincing 3-0 victory for Hapoel Ramat Gan on September 28, 2025, when they stunned Ra'anana away. That result lingers: Ramat Gan have demonstrated they can both score and protect leads when the moment demands it. Both teams have five clean sheets each across the campaign, but context matters — Ra'anana’s home record shows defensive leaks that Ramat Gan have the firepower to exploit. Total goals per match for the two sides sits marginally under the 2.5 mark on average, with combined scoring across seasons at roughly 2.45 goals per game; this points to a match that could be decided by a single incident rather than a barrage of goals.
Ramat Gan average more overall shots per game (9.1) and marginally more corners (4.8) than Ra'anana, suggesting they will nudge possession and territory. Meanwhile Ra'anana’s shots-on-target count is noteworthy, indicating that when they do work chances they test goalkeepers efficiently. Expect periods of caution interspersed with sudden bursts — a pattern that favors the sharper side on the day.
Final analysis: Ramat Gan have the balance and the psychological edge from the earlier 3-0 win. Ra'anana’s home defensive record makes them vulnerable, and while they can nick results, Ramat Gan look likelier to control key phases and avoid an upset.
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Betting suggestion Hapoel Ramat Gan to win (1) — the 1X2 market offers the clearest value here given Ramat Gan’s head-to-head confidence, healthier goal balance and Ra'anana’s worrying home defensive numbers. Stake cautiously and consider limiting exposure given both teams’ recent inconsistency.
