2020–21 Israel State Cup

The 2020–21 State Cup final brought together Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv, bitter city rivals.[1] It was the first State Cup final derby between the two Tel Aviv clubs since 1994, when Maccabi also prevailed, winning 2–0.[1] Adding a notable subplot, Hapoel's 2020–21 head coach, Nir Klinger, had scored one of Maccabi's goals in that 1994 final.[1]

In the 2020–21 league season, Maccabi Tel Aviv had finished second, with Hapoel Tel Aviv finishing 11th.[1] Maccabi entered the cup final after losing the league championship to Maccabi Haifa, and the cup offered a chance to end the season with a trophy.[2] Their league meetings had been uneven: Maccabi won the first encounter between the clubs and the second ended in a draw.[1]

Maccabi Tel Aviv's path to the final included victories over Hapoel Beersheba, Hapoel Haifa, Ashdod SC, and Maccabi Haifa.[1] Their semifinal against Maccabi Haifa, played on 20 May 2021 at Sammy Ofer Stadium, was a 2–0 victory secured by two goals from Itay Shechter, in the 51st and 60th minutes.[3] Maccabi entered that match with a depleted squad and without its foreign players, having had a request to postpone the fixture rejected less than 24 hours before kickoff.[3] Maccabi Haifa controlled more possession early in the opening half but failed to score; Shechter's opening goal came from a pass by Sheran Yeini and was awarded only after a lengthy VAR review.[3]

Hapoel Tel Aviv reached the final by defeating Hapoel Ashkelon, Maccabi Netanya, Hapoel Kfar Shelem, and Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam.[1] The final was played at Bloomfield Stadium on 2 June 2021.[2]

Hapoel supporters threw flares onto the pitch immediately after kickoff, temporarily halting play until the smoke cleared.[2] About 30,000 fans attended, with the two sources giving figures of 29,000 and more than 30,000; supporters of the clubs were divided throughout Bloomfield Stadium.[1][4] Outgoing President Reuven Rivlin attended and presented what was described as his final trophy in the role.[1]

Hapoel Tel Aviv took the lead in the 31st minute when Omri Altman scored after Shlomi Azulay headed the ball down inside the penalty area.[1] The match remained tense and physical, and Eduardo Guerrero received the first yellow card in the 65th minute after confronting Shay Elias.[2] Maccabi Tel Aviv drew level in the 73rd minute through Yonatan Cohen, who headed in a ball from Dan Glazer with his back to goal.[1]

The contest remained level at the end of 90 minutes and moved into extra time. In the 90th minute, a penalty initially awarded to Maccabi after a foul on Eduardo Guerrero was revised by VAR to a free kick because the infringement had occurred outside the penalty area.[2] The decisive moment came in the 96th minute: Dan Bitton's free kick was headed by Matan Baltaxa toward Luis Hernández, who struck it home to put Maccabi 2–1 ahead.[1] Hapoel goalkeeper Ernestas Šetkus made several saves during the contest, while Maccabi goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum denied efforts from both Omri Altman and Emmanuel Boateng.[1]

The final's most disputed moment arrived in the 115th minute, when Shai Eisen struck the ball into the net for what appeared to be Hapoel's equalizer.[1][2] VAR officials reviewed the move and identified a serious foul committed on Dor Peretz earlier in the passage of play; the goal was disallowed and Eisen was sent off.[2] Hapoel coach Nir Klinger entered the pitch in protest and was himself shown a red card. The decision triggered a broader confrontation around the officials.[1][2] Hapoel players and staff protested the ruling, but it stood and Maccabi Tel Aviv were confirmed as cup winners.[2]

Maccabi Tel Aviv captain Sheran Yeini received and lifted the trophy at Bloomfield Stadium, securing the club's 24th Israel State Cup title.[1] The victory was Maccabi's first cup triumph since 2015 and allowed the club to end the season with a trophy after finishing second in the league behind Maccabi Haifa.[2]

The final combined an extra-time winning goal, two significant VAR interventions, flares at kickoff, and the expulsion of Hapoel's head coach in the closing minutes.[2] Nir Klinger's role as a scorer for Maccabi in the 1994 final and Hapoel's losing coach in 2021 added a personal link between the two cup derbies.[1]

A 2025 Walla Sport retrospective on Hapoel Tel Aviv's derby drought continued to single out the 2021 final as a major episode in the rivalry. It recounted Altman's opening goal, Cohen's equalizer, Hernández's extra-time winner, and the overturned 115th-minute equalizer, with the resulting dismissals and confrontation remaining central to its account of the match.[4]