Hapoel Tel Aviv Beats Hapoel Jerusalem 3-0 Ahead of Toto Cup Final Derby

Hapoel Tel Aviv traveled to Teddy Stadium this week with more than 7,000 supporters and left with a commanding 3-0 win over Hapoel Jerusalem. The visitors struggled to break down their hosts in the first half, but found their rhythm after the break.

The result keeps the side coached by Elyaniv Barda firmly in the mix near the top of the table, alongside Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Beersheba and Maccabi Haifa. The goals were also notable for their quality. They came from clean strikes and well-constructed moves rather than deflections or scrappy finishes.

Daniel Dappa scored a superb effort late in the first half. Omri Altman then finished a fine move that included a gorgeous backheel from Yannick Leliendal. The third goal was another Leliendal creation: the attacker sent a cross into the box and Roie Alkukin finished it emphatically.

Attention now shifts to the Toto Cup final, where Hapoel Tel Aviv will face city rival Maccabi Tel Aviv. The competition may be seen by some as secondary, but the club views the final as a chance to continue its climb back toward the top of Israeli football. It has spent time in the Leumit League twice over the past decade, and a title against Maccabi would be another significant milestone.

Barda stressed the importance of competing for honors. "When I joined Hapoel Tel Aviv, one of the things we consistently emphasized was the importance of competing for titles," he said. He noted that the club reached the final last season but was disappointed with the result, and that it is back in another final this year. In his view, a club that wants to win trophies in the long run needs to be in these situations consistently.

Altman said the team's focus stayed on the league until the final whistle against Hapoel Jerusalem, and that talk of the derby would only begin on Sunday. He believes his side can match Maccabi Tel Aviv, pointing to last season, when one game went to each team and one was drawn. He acknowledged a 4-1 loss in the first meeting this season but said it did not reflect the team's ability, because Hapoel received a red card in the 35th minute.

Barda made a similar case, saying the team is the same group of players as before and that the earlier game unfolded terribly after the red card, an unusual situation for the side. He added that the team has since won four consecutive matches and is determined to perform much better this time.

The final is set for Thursday at Bloomfield Stadium, which will be divided between the two fan bases, with 12,500 supporters from each side expected. Altman, 32, called the occasion what players live for. "Anyone who hasn't experienced it doesn't really understand what a Tel Aviv derby is," he said, describing it as one of the most intense games in Europe.

Altman admitted the Toto Cup is not the most prestigious trophy, but said winning a derby title means a lot to the players. "Lifting a trophy is a dream, and I think every young player dreams of experiencing that moment," he said.