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, 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 early on. The breakthrough came in the 61st minute when Ard Geist scored with a powerful header from a corner. Hapoel Haifa equalized in the 79th minute through Noam Tabouch after a well-executed attack. However, the match was decided in the 83rd minute when Hapoel Haifa’s goalkeeper, Roy Dadush, mishandled a cross and inadvertently scored an own goal, handing Maccabi Haifa the win.

In Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv narrowly defeated Bnei Yehuda 1-0. After a tough match against the cup holders, the decisive moment came in the 64th minute when Noam Azran capitalized on a rebound to score the only goal. This marked Bnei Yehuda’s third consecutive loss.

Meanwhile, Hapoel Tel Aviv dominated Maccabi Netanya 3-0. The game shifted in the 25th minute when Netanya’s Ben Tao received a direct red card. Hapoel Tel Aviv quickly took advantage, with Omri Levi scoring in the 34th minute and Itamar Hosid doubling the lead just before halftime. Although a goal by Malsa was disallowed in the second half, Yotam Kalfa sealed the victory in the 76th minute amid defensive confusion.

These results highlight the competitive nature of the league early in the season, with Maccabi Haifa maintaining momentum in the Haifa derby and both Tel Aviv teams securing important wins.