Green against red, fans, exes and other vegetables meet this Monday (25/02/2019) for the hottest derby in recent seasons, details in the next article.
A lot of water has passed in Kishon since the last derby on 01/12/18, a derby in which Hapoel Haifa was the dominant team when it was already leading 3-0 and despite a narrow goal by Maccabi scored from an own goal by Tamash and a penalty missed by Rukavica, they won big. At that time, the Reds and Sharon Mimer, started to embark on a new path as Maccabi was faltering close to the red line in the table. 13 rounds later, a turnaround - Maccabi is breathing down the back of second place with the second average possession in the league (1.74), a new/old coach with a great form of 6 wins, 3 draws and no loss in the league and a transfer window full of significant signings with one Turk named Karim Frei, who is already starting to pay off the bills. On the red side, instability that is characterized on the one hand by games with many goal victories, compared to losing points to the weakest teams in the league and a struggle to enter the top playoffs, with Hapoel Haifa currently ranked only in 7th place. At the Red Club, which will host the game, about 25000 fans are expected, the joke that was supposed to be in this derby is the meeting between Maksim Plekoshchenko who crossed the road and Shlomi Azoulai who went the opposite way, but the latter will be absent from the game due to fear of appendicitis and it will be interesting to see how Plekoshchenko will play against the team where he grew up and played all his life.
Maccabi Haifa's missing list for this game includes Synthia Sallich, who was diagnosed with a torn ligament after he was injured in the previous game against Hapoel Hadera and effectively ended the season. Goalkeeper Guy Chaimov and defender Ernest Maboka, who wanted a suspension for accumulating 5 yellow cards, will also be absent from the game, with Omri Glazer and Raz Meir replacing the suspended ones, and despite the shortcomings on the green side, the feeling among the fans is that this time Maccabi will win at any cost. By the way, Glazer, who has not been in Maccabi's hair for a long time, returns to play in the derby after last season he has quite a few bad memories of the result and his performance in the game and will want to take this chance with both hands. On the red side, as mentioned, they will miss Shlomi Azoulai, who has not impressed in the number of games he has played, and the suspended captain Dor Melol. If so, the return of the foreigners Shestat and Mitrevski, who are expected to start in the lineup, is encouraged and they will hope for the good ability of Gili Vermot, Matan Khoza and Nes Zamir, who are supposed to lead the front of the Reds. Hapoel Haifa builds on the statistics of the derby meetings in recent years and will hope to surprise Maccabi this time as well.
Ofir Azoulay, a fan of Maccabi Haifa since he can remember and according to him a third generation of Maccabi fans, was interviewed by Lahi Fe and talked about the expectations for the derby, those missing from the game and how his bet will end?:
"Maccabi is always a favorite. Even when the Hapoel were above us in the table, we were favorites and the Hapoel came to play closed and sting, unfortunately it succeeded for them in the last derby games. In my opinion, against a large and green majority in the stands and considering the current form of Maccabi, I definitely expect a victory. We have to come modestly without much talk. Even a 1:0 result will satisfy me, although my bet about the game is 3:2. In my opinion, Sellich has replacements no less good than him. In January, excellent depth was created in the front part. Regarding Mabuka, if Raz Meir is fit, I hope we will earn him further in the position this and hope that San Menachem will get a chance on the left side,
Because Rami Gershon is disappointing so far. A rocker in a 3-brake setup can also fit in there. Regarding the goalkeeper, let's hope for the best.
On the red side, a special figure of the reds was interviewed, Moshe Cohen, a well-known colorful fan of Hapoel who made an optimistic prediction for the game:
Like many Hapoel Haifa fans, I am prepared and tense for Monday's derby. The upcoming game has a double meaning - the result is important in order for us to reach the top playoffs and of course it has "urban prestige". In terms of atmosphere, Maccabi fans, as in the previous derby, are confident of their victory, for them it is a question of "by how much and by what margin will they win?". And my answer to them is "Don't glorify Hogar as a key". As a Hapoel Haifa fan, I hope we will win the upcoming derby game. I can't wait any longer and am looking forward to the opening whistle, Heida Hapoel Haifa.
