Maccabi Netanya Beats Hapoel Petah Tikva 2-0 to Keep Toto Cup Semifinal Hopes Alive

Maccabi Netanya secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Hapoel Petah Tikva on August 5, preserving their chances of advancing to the Toto Cup semifinals. The match took place as part of the group stage, with Netanya having completed all their group matches and now relying on the outcome of the final group game between Hapoel Ramat Gan and Maccabi Petah Tikva to determine their fate. If Ramat Gan wins, they will advance at Netanya's expense; any other result will see Netanya qualify.

The game started strongly for Netanya, with Mathias Daboo scoring in the 7th minute after a chaotic moment in the penalty area. Dor Hugi added a second goal in the 78th minute, also following a scramble in the box, securing the win. Earlier, Hugi nearly assisted a goal in the 39th minute when his corner found Bassem Za'arura, but the header hit the post. Hapoel Petah Tikva had a goal disallowed for offside in the 56th minute.

With this loss, Hapoel Petah Tikva is eliminated from the Toto Cup and will focus on their upcoming league preparations, facing Hapoel Jerusalem in a friendly on Sunday. Meanwhile, Netanya awaits the decisive match result that will determine if they advance to the semifinals.

Summary: Maccabi Netanya defeated Hapoel Petah Tikva 2-0 to keep their Toto Cup semifinal hopes alive, pending the final group match result. Mathias Daboo and Dor Hugi scored for Netanya, while Petah Tikva was eliminated from the competition.