Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv Draw 0-0 in League Opener

Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv kicked off their 2026/27 league seasons on Sunday evening at Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa. This marked the first league match for both teams, as their opening fixtures were postponed. Hapoel Haifa entered the game following a successful Toto Cup campaign, including victories over Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Be'er Sheva, aiming for three points against a major rival.

Key players featured for Hapoel Haifa, with Shi Elias playing against his youth club, Liran Rotman facing his former team, and William Agada on the bench for his potential re-debut. Hapoel Tel Aviv, recently eliminated from European competition by Atalanta, made three changes due to player fatigue from their European journey. Stav Turiel returned to the starting lineup after recovering from an injury, Daniel Dapa was placed in the forward position, and Mor Buskila also started.

The match, officiated by Aviv Klein, ended in a 0-0 draw at halftime. The league table shows Maccabi Petah Tikva leading with 6 points, while both Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv are at the bottom with 0 points and 0 games played in the league standings. The second round of the Israeli Premier League concludes on Monday with a match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa.