There’s nothing like a derby. Whether it’s Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Petah Tikva, or Haifa, the fans and players are always enthralled by the opportunity to be the king of the city.
The Haifa derby always seems to be one of the great fixtures on the calendar, especially when Maccabi is hosting, because Sammy Ofer Stadium will be packed with fans hanging from the rafters to see which of the city’s sides will earn bragging rights.
The last time the teams met, back in September, the Greens and Reds split the points in a 1-1 draw, the match before that was one of the most lopsided derbies in the series history, with Hapoel spanking Maccabi 5-1. What made it worse was the fact that it was a Maccabi home game, as the majority of fans in the stands had to sit and suffer through one of the club's lowest points in history.
On Monday, Maccabi began the game on fire, looking to ensure that there would be no repeat of last May’s derby disaster, as Eitan Azoulay’s chance was caught by Carmel Reds ’keeper Benjamin Mancini, while Kenny Saief’s header went over the bar, and Dolev Haziza’s attempt wildly missed the target.
The last time Hapoel had won a derby by 4+ goals was back in the 1950’s when it was by far the more dominant team. But over the years, Maccabi became the team to beat and the one that ruled the city of Haifa. In fact, in the league derby, the Greens hold a 56-34 advantage with 33 draws being played between the two sides. Overall, counting the other competitions such as cup play and the like, Maccabi has an 82-45 advantage with 43 draws while scoring a total of 264 goals to 192.
But don’t tell that to Hapoel of this season, as it started to push a bit as Sana’s blistering shot was saved by Georgiy Yermakov, and Regis Ndo’s attempt off the rebound just missed the goal. However, just as it looked like the Reds were getting right into the game, Sana committed a reckless foul on Jelle Battaile that earned him a red card and left his team with 10 men in the 30th minute.
Going back to last season’s 5-1 derby, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Maccabi Haifa as head coach Barak Bachar left his European post and just recently returned after Argentine Diego Flores, who was hired over the summer, was let go. So, there’s no question that Bachar had that 5-1 drubbing on his mind as he prepared for this derby, his first since that miserable game in May 2025. Now, with an extra man, there was no question that Bachar and Maccabi would try to go for the kill.
Maccabi's 2-0 victory over Hapoel
And that’s exactly what happened just minutes later as Azoulay polished off a nice passing play that began with Haziza to Bataille and then to Azoulay, who sent a screamer from 20 meters past a helpless Mancini for a 1-0 Green lead in the 35th minute.
Maccabi continued to apply pressure as it looked to double the advantage ahead of the break, and after a red card to Lisav Eissat was called off by the VAR, the Greens did exactly that as Guy Melamed scored against his former club to head into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
It took time for Bachar to get the team playing the way he wanted to after having had so many issues under Flores, but over the past month it’s clear that Bachar’s fingerprints are starting to make their mark all over Maccabi Haifa just as he did during the club’s heyday when the Greens went to the Champions League group stage back in 2022/23. That team was loaded with superstars while this one is still trying to find its footing, but the Greens definitely started to turn the corner, and while they may not win the championship, they will qualify for Europe, which just a couple of months ago was in doubt.
Bachar made wholesale changes to freshen up his lineup as the Greens hunted for a third goal. Trivante Stewart and Azoulay both had chances to add a marker, but Mancini made a pair of terrific saves as Maccabi took control of the game and lulled it through to the final whistle as the city of Haifa was painted Green with the 2-0 win.
It may not have been one of the Haifa derbies that will go down in the annals of history, but it did offer some sense of closure for Maccabi after what went down last May, and as it continues to climb the standings.
However, in soccer, there’s always a next game coming up, and for Maccabi Haifa, that’s going to be a trip south to Hapoel Beersheba, where it will play Bachar’s former side, to be followed up by a home date with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
It never gets easier, but for a few days, the Greens’ fans can relish the victory knowing that they are once again the kings of Haifa.