Tel Aviv Derby Halted Briefly Due to Fan Pyrotechnics
The highly anticipated Tel Aviv derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was temporarily halted shortly after kickoff on Sunday due to flares and pyrotechnics ignited by fans. Thick smoke filled the stadium, prompting referee David Foxman to pause the match.
Fans also set off fireworks and smoke grenades. The game resumed in the seventh minute after the smoke cleared. Prior to the match, a 15-year-old fan was arrested for igniting a flare near the stadium on Jerusalem Boulevard in Jaffa.
This incident echoes a similar event last year when the derby was stopped at its start due to pyrotechnics thrown onto the field, which injured police officers and civilians, leading to the match's cancellation.
Sunday's game, part of the fourth round of the Israeli Premier League, featured two leading teams. Maccabi Tel Aviv entered with a perfect nine points from nine possible and a 12-0 goal difference, while Hapoel Tel Aviv had seven points and had not conceded a goal. A win for Hapoel would have placed them atop the league standings.
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