Who will advance to the semi-finals? Hapoel Haifa and Kiryat Shmona lineups published

The only two perfect teams of the Toto Cup group stage are battling tonight (Saturday) for first place in Group A and a ticket to the semi-finals, as Hapoel Haifa hosts Ironi Kiryat Shmona. Both arrive after three consecutive wins, but Kiryat Shmona has also yet to concede and hopes to maintain that record against Alon Turgeman, the tournament's top scorer (alongside Matheus Davo of Maccabi Netanya) with four goals so far.

A draw will be enough for the visitors to maintain the lead thanks to a one-goal advantage in goal difference, but it will not definitively determine the identity of their opponent in the semi-finals, and they will have to wait and see if the team that finishes at the top of Group B achieves a higher score. A decision in the match in Haifa will lead to the winner hosting Hapoel Tel Aviv in the semi-finals, who, as you recall, won the meeting of the European teams.

Hapoel Haifa hopes to reach the semi-finals for the second year in a row, with Shay Elias included in its squad for the first time. George Diba replaced the suspended Dario Zuparic in the center of the defense.

Lineups

Hapoel Haifa: Yoav Gerafi, Noam Cohen, Ivan Krizic, George Diba, Ariel Mendi, Cheick Keita, Naor Sabag, Yaad Gonen, Wahib Habiballa, Liran Rotman, Alon Turgeman.

Ironi Kiryat Shmona: Daniel Tenenbaum, Ovadia Darwish, Nemanja Ljubisavljevic, Shay Ben David, Shay Sabah, Ofir Benvenisti, Alex Sola, Ariel Shertzki, Joan Halabi, Rufat Abdulzada, Adrian Ogrisa.

Group A

Team | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals | Points

--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---

1. Ironi Kiryat Shmona | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0-5 | 9

2. Hapoel Haifa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4-8 | 9

3. Maccabi Haifa | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8-6 | 3

4. Ironi Tiberias | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9-5 | 3

5. Bnei Sakhnin | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5-2 | 0

Next weekend, the Toto Cup ranking matches will take place, and in two weeks the Premier League will kick off. Hapoel Haifa's match will be postponed following Hapoel Be'er Sheva's appearances in Europe, while Ironi Kiryat Shmona will be hosted by Maccabi Petah Tikva in the first round.