“We are delighted, it is always fun to win the derby and take the points. Our form wasn’t as good but in derby matches you need character and the know how of winning such matches. We will have a good rest and prepare ourselves for the next game”. 

“It is always fun to be part of big games, but in the other matches I also had good games. It is fun to be part of this team and everytime I will be needed you will find me there”.

Maccabi restored their 12-point-lead at the top of the table with five matches left until the end of the season thanks to second half goals from Avi Rikan and Eylon Almog.

The second round of the Playoff will begin on Tuesday as Maccabi travel to Sammy Ofer stadium in Haifa to face Hapoel knowing that a victory could all but seal a second successive league title.

Vladimir Ivic made three changes to the side which was held to a 1-1 draw by Hapoel Be’ersheva in midweek as Maor Kandil  and Sheran Yeini replaced Andre Gerlades and Ofir Davidzada. 

Maccabi’s skipper, who made a late substitute appearance against Be’ersheva, received the captain’s armband at the expense of Dor Peretz who dropped to the bench and was replaced in midfield by Avi Rikan. Ivic’s attack remained unchanged as Itay Schechter and Yonatan Cohen led the line while Nick Blackman and Eylon Almog, who scored Maccabi’s third in the 3-0 win over Hapoel earlier this season – waited for their chance on the bench. 

With five substitutions allowed due to the Covid19 updated regulations, Ivorian midfielder Parfait Guigaon who has yet to make his debut appearance for the senior side and Nadav Nidam who made his debut at the tail-end of last season – complete the list of 9 substitutes which also includes Andreas Gianniotis, Eitan Tibi, Davidzada, Gerlades and Peretz.

Yonatan Cohen forced Arik Yanko to make the first save of the game as his left foot corner curled dangerously but was parried out by Hapoel’s keeper.

On the stroke of half time Schecter teed-up Rikan on the edge of the area, but the midfielder blasted his shot high over the crossbar. Ivic made his first substitution after the restart as Almog replaced Yonatan Cohen to partner Schechter upfront.

Ivic made a double substitution in the 70th minute as he introduced Petetz and Blackman for the tired Eyal Golasa and Schechter.

Within two minutes the changes paid off as Blackman won an aerial battle on the edge of the area, headed the ball towards Almog whose delicate touch allowed Rikan to slot home the opener past Yanko.

Geraldes replaced the industrious Kandil for the final 12 minutes. In the 87th minute Almog tested the keeper with a free kick which Yanko pushed out for a corner. Three minutes later, Almog secured the victory as he dispossessed a Hapoel defender, found Dan Glazer who fed Peretz before Almog doubled the score.

 

The third derby of the season gets underway on Saturday (21:00) as Hapoel hosts Maccabi for the 31st league round. Ahead of the match against the local city rivals, Dor Peretz, spoke about his return after a long term injury.

This derby will be the 156^th meeting between Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv. The record currently stands on 53 victories for Maccabi, 56 draws and 46 defeats. The goal-tally is 181-150 in Maccabi’s favor.

Despite the numerous encounters between the two sides, this forthcoming derby will be the first time since the 2013/14 season that the sides meet in the Playoffs.

Overall there were 9 derby matches in the playoff and the records are even with 2 victories for Maccabi, 2 wins for Hapoel and 5 matches which ended in a draw.

Should Maccabi extend their unbeaten run this season, they will stretch their record in derby matches to 11 successive matches without a defeat.

In 19 previous seasons there were 3 or 4 derby matches played. Only on three occasions Maccabi beat Hapoel three times in one season (1992/93, 2003/04 and 2012/13). Hapoel never recorded three derby victories in a season (None of the teams managed to beat its city rival 4 times in one season).

Since Maccabi’s 4-0 win over Hapoel in the championship winning season of 1991/92, Maccabi’s 3-0 victory over Hapoel on December 4^th 2019 was the highest victory in 29 years recorded in an away match.

Saturday’s match will be the third time in history a derby is staged behind closed doors.
On the two previous occasions, Hapoel, hosted Maccabi at Bloomfield with no fans as a result of punishments: The Toto Cup group stage match in 1998/99 (2-1 Maccabi win), and the Playoff of the 2010/11 (0-0 draw).

Of the current squad, Sheran Yeini, has the highest number of appearances in Tel Aviv derbies with 23.

Maccabi’s all-time appearance record holder, Miko Belo, played in 33 Tel Aviv derbies, while Avi Nimni and Benny Tabbak both played in 29.

Twice in the past, the month of June staged two derbies. The penultimate league round of the 1975/76 season saw Hapoel beat Maccabi 2-1. Twenty years earlier, on the final round of the 1955/56 season Maccabi won 3-0 and secured the championship victory.

The two playoff derbies were scheduled to be played in June over two successive Saturdays. Only twice in the history, two derbies were played in a seven-day period – March 1966 (a defeat and a draw) and March 2014 (a victory and a draw).