Maccabi Haifa Stuns PSG in Historic 1998 Upset

Twenty-eight years ago, on October 1st, 1998, Maccabi Haifa achieved one of its greatest victories by defeating French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 3-2 in the second leg of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. After a 1-1 draw in France, the Israeli team faced PSG in front of an 18,000-strong crowd at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium. Despite PSG's significantly larger budget and star power, Maccabi Haifa secured a dramatic win with goals from Casey and a brace from Alon Mizrahi, including the 90th-minute winner. The victory propelled Maccabi Haifa into the next round, stunning the French giants just three months after France's national team had won the World Cup. PSG's coach, Alain Giresse, had initially underestimated Maccabi Haifa, reportedly calling it a "very reasonable draw." French media later reported that PSG was tactically unprepared and focused on domestic league matches, leading to their "ridiculous" and "shameful" collapse. In the first leg, a 17-year-old Yossi Benayoun scored the equalizer for Maccabi Haifa, a player who would later move to Liverpool and Arsenal. Before the second leg, a PSG official publicly criticized his players, calling them unprofessional. PSG attempted to acclimatize to the Israeli heat with a training camp in Caesarea, but it did not help them in the match. A PSG player, Nicolas Ouédec, described the loss as the "biggest disappointment of my career" and an "unforgivable defeat," while French sports newspaper L'Équipe called the performance "ridiculous" and a "total collapse."