This week’s Semi Final will be the 84th time in Israel’s history that this stage of the competition is being staged since the State Cup was founded.
Maccabi reached the Semi Final stage 48 times and advanced to the Final on 36 occasions.
Maccabi were eliminated at the Semi Final only twice during the last 15 times they reached that stage of the competition – against Hapoel Ramat Gan (2003) and Bnei Yehuda (2019).
This will be the 7th encounter between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa at the Semi Final stage. No other teams in Israel’s footballing history met so many in the Semi Finals.
Maccabi won five of the six Semi Finals cup ties against Haifa: (1955, 1964, 1983, 1992 and 1996).
Over the years the two sides met 17 times in the State Cup with Maccabi winning 9 times and Haifa winning 8.
Haifa eliminated Maccabi in the Semi Final stage before the State of Israel was established during in 1942 Semi Final that didn’t actually take place. The reason: The Israel Football Association disqualified Maccabi due to a legislation that all Israeli players who must enlist to the army could not participate in the State Cup.
Maccabi’s highest Semi Final victory (9-2) was recorded against Maccabi Zikhron Ya’acov in 1929. The highest Semi Final victory after the State of Israel was established (7-1) was recorded in 1952 over Hapoel Petah Tikva.
Rafi Levy holds the record for the number of goals scored in the Semi Final (5) in 1958 against Shimshon Tel Aviv.
Miko Belo holds the Maccabi appearance record in the Semi Finals with 12.
Maccabi reached a penalty shoot-out in six Semi Finals winning four of them on the way to the Final.
