After a disappointing 0-0 draw in the second round of the Premier League, Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv delivered a far more action-packed contest. In an event-filled, high-scoring friendly match in Bat Yam, Hapoel Haifa secured a 4-3 victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv after taking a 0-4 lead by the 59th minute, with the Tel Aviv club only managing to trim the margin during the second half.
The two sides previously met early in the season, producing a stormy yet goalless 0-0 draw at Sammy Ofer Stadium. Hapoel Tel Aviv, which sat out the opening league round due to its Conference League qualifying clash with Atalanta, and Hapoel Haifa, which also missed the opener because of Hapoel Beersheba's Champions League qualifiers, walked away with a point apiece on that occasion.
This time, however, the goals flowed quickly. Hapoel Tel Aviv was missing the injured Stav Toriel alongside several international duty call-ups: Assaf Tzur, Dor Benyamini, Roee Alkokin, Mor Buskila, Daniel Dapaah, Andrian Kraev, and Yannick Leliendal. Hapoel Haifa was without William Agada, Ariel Mendy, and Cheick Keita.
Sali Fahima opened the scoring in the third minute, followed by an Alon Turgeman penalty in the 45th minute, goals from Noam Cohen in the 54th minute, and Cheickna Diakite in the 59th minute to put Haim Silvas's side ahead 0-4. A comeback attempt by Elyaniv Barda's squad nearly brought Hapoel Tel Aviv back into the game through a 65th-minute penalty from Omri Altman, an Anas Mahamid strike in the 73rd minute, and an 84th-minute header by Chico off a Yonatan Ferber corner kick. When the final whistle blew, Hapoel Haifa held on for a dramatic 4-3 win.
Hapoel Tel Aviv lineup: Ben Sorensen, Marcus Coco, Tal Archel, Fernan Mayembo, Doron Leidner, Lucas Falcao, El-Yam Kancepolsky, Yonatan Ferber, Amit Lemkin, Roy Korine, and Emmanuel Boateng.
Also featured for Hapoel Tel Aviv: Shahar Piven, Chico, Itay Shavit, Douglas Owusu, Omri Altman, Yanal Bazadough, and Anas Mahamid.
Hapoel Haifa lineup: Yoav Gerafi, Dor Malul, Ivan Kricak, Dario Zuparic, Noam Cohen, Naor Sabag, Shay Elias, Sali Fahima, Liran Rotman, Cheickna Diakite, and Alon Turgeman.