In cup semi-finals, one moment can take a team from being a step closer to a title, or end their dreams in an instant. When it’s a derby, being on the positive side of these moments becomes even more critical.
Bloomfield Stadium was home to one of these on Tuesday, where Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Haifa - the Haifa derby - battled it out in the Israeli State Cup semi-finals.
There couldn’t be more symbolic timing for this match. Passover, Easter, and the month of Ramadan all, nearly, overlap this year and, in a city known for its multiculturalism, the timing was near perfect.
Maccabi Haifa, too, couldn’t wish for a better opponent at this moment. The Greens are close to clinching their second successive league championship, and a win over their rivals would take them one step closer to their second-ever domestic double - the last was in 1991.
For Hapoel Haifa, meanwhile, the cup marks their last chance at bagging a Europa Conference League spot. In the league, they’re playing in the bottom group - the table splits part-way through - but have already secured their status in the top flight for another season.
From the start, Maccabi showed their dominance, and Hapoel were left lagging and far from even hitting the target. Ohad Levita was forced to put on a show in goal, and the defensive line in front of him looked to be the only thing bringing Hapoel hope.
In the 31st minute, things weren’t looking much better for them either. Striker Alon Turgeman put in a harsh tackle and was shown a yellow card - after a VAR check, that became a red. The Sharks were already looking woeful in attack, and losing a prolific goalscorer - Turgeman has scored 10 in the league so far this season - made that even more difficult.
After a series of attacks, 12 minutes later Maccabi had finally hit the back of the net. Dolev Haziza linked up well with Dean David who slotted the ball into the open net. It has taken David a while to find his form this season, but has really found his feet - that was his 23rd goal in all competitions.
Maccabi’s only mission in the second half was to secure the win. Just 6 minutes after the break, they did just that, with a Tjaronn Cherry strike from 18m out. Two goals were enough for the victory, especially against a Hapoel side that failed to impress. Even with Maccabi playing a little slower, their opponents failed to take advantage.
Fans were treated to a pyrotechnic display in the stands with a couple of minutes to go. Last week the police stopped some Maccabi fans bringing banners into the stadium, and this was their protest in response.
Wow, Maccabi Haifa. WOW! 🟢🔥#IsraeliCup 🇮🇱🏆 pic.twitter.com/3WSlyFhKHk
— BabaGol (@BabaGol_) April 19, 2022
In the end it was an easy 2-0 win, but this result had another significant impact. Maccabi, along with Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Maccabi Tel Aviv who play in the second semi-final on Wednesday, have all secured their European berth through the league. This allows Israel’s third Europa Conference League spot to transfer to the league too.
This is the most crucial month in Maccabi Haifa’s decade, and this result against their rivals will give them hope that they can go on to complete a perfect season.
Edited by Alex Smith
Photo via the Israeli Football Association official Facebook page
