Maccabi faced Hapoel Nof Hagalil (or in their previous name Hapoel Nazareth Ilit) only 6 times in the league.
Of the 45 league opponents to face Maccabi throughout history, only 7 clubs played Maccabi less times than Nof Hagalil. Ahi Nazaretn (5), Maccabi Rishon Lezion (4), Hapoel Balfuriya (4), Maccabi Kiryat Gat (3), Beitar Netanya (2), Hapoel Taybeh (2) and Hapoel Marmorek (2).
Maccabi met Hapoel Nof Hagalil, under their previous name – Hapoel Nazareth Ilit, when the newly promoted side played in the top flight during the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons. Maccabi won only 1 of those six encounters while the remaining 5 (83%) ended in a draw.
Nof Hagalil’s current coach Yaron Hochenboim met Maccabi 5 times in the league whilst in charge of Hapoel Acco and Hapoel Ramat Gan with Maccabi winning 4 and drawing once.
Maccabi played 308 times against newly promoted sides, including this season’s 1-0 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem. The record of these matches is clearly in Maccabi’s favour winning 182, drawing 79 and losing 46.
Maccabi’s record in the first meeting against newly promoted sides (136 matches) is: 75 victories, 41 draws and 20 defeats.
The highest ever victory over a newly promoted side was a 7-0 victory over Beitar Tel Aviv in the 1969/70 season. Shalom Shikva (4), Giyora Spiegel, Nissim Bachar and Dror Bar Nur scored the goals.
