Two IFA Cup final victories six years apart in derby format against Hapoel Tel Aviv have inscribed the date of June 7th into the annals of Maccabi Tel Aviv FC's illustrious history
On June the 7th, 19 and 25 years ago respectively, Maccabi Tel Aviv lifted the Israel Football Association (IFA) Cup, in both cases at the expense of arch city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv. The IFA Cup finals of 1988 and 1994 were both held on that same date and in both cases with the same result for Maccabi Tel Aviv – receiving the much coveted IFA trophy from the country's president.
June 7th 1988 – Maccabi Tel Aviv 2, Hapoel Tel Aviv 1
Towards the end of what was an unexceptional decade for the club, Maccabi Tel Aviv succeeded in raising the IFA Cup for the second consecutive season, but on the face of it their task looked a daunting one. In the league the gap between the two finalists, Maccabi and Hapoel, was considerable, and heavily in the latter's favour. Hapoel had already won the league championship while Maccabi languished deep in the bottom half of the table. And going behind Hapoel in the IFA Cup final before the half hour mark only increased the sense of apprehension as to what lay in store.
But it was just then that the game's fortunes were about to change. A splendid goal by Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Mickey Cohen brought the sides level five minutes before half time, shifting the momentum to the yellow half of the pitch. And less than five minutes after the restart Maccabi translated the momentum of the equaliser into a goal advantage when one of the club's all-time greatest goal scorers, striker Benny Tabak, found the net to put his side ahead 2-1. Maccabi held on to raise the Cup for the second consecutive season, and in doing so robbed their big city rivals of a much coveted double.
June 7th 1994 – Maccabi Tel Aviv 2, Hapoel Tel Aviv 0
The 1990's saw better times return to Maccabi Tel Aviv and one of the five titles the club captured during the decade was after another IFA Cup final against municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv. Six years after the last derby Cup final in 1988, the roles between the two sides had somewhat reversed, with Maccabi entering the match as clear favourites, at least where the league table was concerned. Three days before the final, Maccabi Tel Aviv had finished the season with their highest ever points total, 88, but still conceded the championship to Maccabi Haifa who were having an even better season than they were. Hapoel on the other hand finished fifth in the table, a full 34 points behind Maccabi.
30,000 spectators turned up at the National Stadium in Ramat Gan for a match that promised much but, in the first half at least, delivered little. Maccabi's attacking trio, Itsik Zohar, Avi Nimni and Eli Driks failed to realise their otherwise impressive potential, as did the opposing side lead by a young Haim Revivo, later of Spanish side Celta Vigo fame. It took a little bit of magic to open up the match and five minutes after the restart that magic was provided by Itsik Zohar with an unstoppable free kick that put Maccabi ahead 1-0. Twenty minutes later, the Maccabi skipper, midfielder Nir Klinger, added a second to finalise the proceedings and hand Maccabi not only Tel Aviv bragging rights that season but also the 18th IFA Cup in their history.
