Maccabi Haifa Wins Haifa Derby as Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv Also Secure Victories

The fourth round of the Israeli Premier League took place on Saturday, August 29, 2026, featuring key victories for Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Hapoel Tel Aviv. In the Haifa derby, Maccabi Haifa edged out Hapoel Haifa 2-1 despite struggling to create significant chances for much of the match. The breakthrough came in the 61st minute when Ard Geist headed in a corner kick to give Maccabi Haifa the lead. Hapoel Haifa equalized in the 79th minute through Noam Tabouch, but a critical error by Hapoel Haifa’s goalkeeper Roy Dadush in the 83rd minute led to an own goal, securing the win for Maccabi Haifa.

Maccabi Tel Aviv narrowly defeated Bnei Yehuda 1-0 in a match between the reigning league champions and the State Cup holders. The decisive moment arrived in the 64th minute when Noam Azran capitalized on a rebound after a poorly cleared shot from outside the box to score the winning goal. This marked Bnei Yehuda’s third consecutive loss.

Meanwhile, Hapoel Tel Aviv dominated Maccabi Netanya 3-0, handing Netanya their first defeat of the season. The match shifted in the 25th minute when Ben Tao of Netanya received a direct red card. Hapoel Tel Aviv quickly took advantage, with Omri Levi scoring in the 34th minute following a goalkeeper error. Itamar Hosid doubled the lead just before halftime, and Yotam Kalfa sealed the victory in the 76th minute after a defensive mix-up. A goal by Malsa in the second half was disallowed.

These results highlight the competitive nature of the league early in the season, with Maccabi Haifa maintaining momentum in the derby, Maccabi Tel Aviv holding their top position, and Hapoel Tel Aviv bouncing back strongly after a recent draw.