Long Stoppages Become Tradition in Tel Aviv Derby Matches
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
The Tel Aviv derby match was halted for nine minutes due to flares, leading to extended added time and continuing a trend of reduced actual playing time in these games. Data shows only 46.57% of game time is played on average in derbies, compared to the league average of 52%. Previous derbies have seen stoppages of up to 15 minutes, with first halves sometimes exceeding 55 minutes gross.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The Tel Aviv derby was stopped for nine minutes due to flares, causing long added time.
- Actual playing time in Tel Aviv derbies averages 46.57%, significantly below the league average.
- Previous derbies have featured added time periods of up to 15 minutes.
- A recent Toto Cup final derby saw nine minutes of added time after an 8.5-minute delay.
- First halves in recent derbies have frequently exceeded 50 minutes gross time.
The recent Tel Aviv derby match was significantly delayed, with play halted for nine minutes due to the lighting of flares. This interruption is expected to lead to extended added time, continuing a trend observed in recent derby games. An analysis of data from the past few years reveals that, on average, only 46.57% of the scheduled time is actually played in these derbies, a stark contrast to the league average of 52%.
This pattern has resulted in unusually long periods of added time in previous encounters. Notably, one derby saw a 15-minute stoppage time, and another had ten minutes added. The recent Toto Cup final also experienced an eight-and-a-half-minute delay due to flares, leading to nine minutes of added time and a total first-half duration of 54 minutes.
Previous matches have also shown similar lengthy stoppages. For instance, the first half of a derby in September 2026 lasted 55 minutes and 57 seconds gross, with only 25 minutes and 52 seconds of actual play. Other first halves in 2026 also exceeded 50 minutes gross with less than 26 minutes of play. An October 2025 derby was not played at all due to flares, and a January 2024 derby saw 51 minutes and 58 seconds gross time with 28 minutes and 10 seconds of play.
