Maccabi Haifa vs Hapoel Katamon - Toto Cup Ligat Al

All eyes turn to Sammy Ofer Stadium on August 17, 2026 as Maccabi Haifa welcome Hapoel Katamon in a Toto Cup Ligat Al encounter that promises tension, intrigue and no shortage of subplot. Tottenham face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Both camps will view the Toto Cup Ligat Al meeting at Sammy Ofer Stadium as an opportunity to put a marker down, regardless of where they currently stand. Maccabi Haifa will be keen to seize the initiative and build some momentum on home soil. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. Carrick has experimented with Noussair Mazraoui in that position but he seems to have fallen down the pecking order, as the less experienced Patrick Dorgu was preferred for the Manchester derby loss.

Tactically, the contest promises a fascinating contrast. Maccabi Haifa will look to impose their style on home soil, while Hapoel Katamon are likely to have ideas of their own about how to gain the upper hand. But this approach also takes something that is almost anonymous in football - time.

In fixtures as finely poised as this one, it often comes down to who holds their nerve in the big moments — and both camps have players who relish that responsibility. The wide areas will be a key battleground, with full-backs and wingers on either side capable of swinging the contest one way or the other. Dundee defender Ryan Astley has insisted Duncan Ferguson would be a great pick to become the next Scotland manager, having worked with him at Everton - Daily Record.

Without the market to lean on, the contest feels genuinely open — and the outcome may come down to which side handles the occasion better. A share of the spoils looks the most probable outcome, with neither side holding a decisive edge — a 1-1 draw feels like a fitting result. With the standings tight and form on the line, this is a fixture neither side will want to lose. Joe Gomez is expected to miss the start of Liverpool's Premier League campaign through injury - but it is not likely to impact the Reds' transfer plans.