Maccabi Haifa made a winning start to their 2026–27 Israel Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Hapoel Ramat Gan at Sammy Ofer Stadium. The match, played on the evening of August 23, saw the hosts take control of possession for long spells, but they needed patience and quality to break down a stubborn Ramat Gan side that threatened on the counter throughout.

First-half control and a breakthrough

Maccabi Haifa dominated from the opening whistle, moving the ball quickly through midfield and pinning Hapoel Ramat Gan deep inside their own half. The pressure finally told just before the half-hour mark when a sharp move down the right flank ended with a precise cutback and a composed finish from inside the penalty area. The goal settled the home supporters and allowed Haifa to dictate the tempo heading into the break.

However, Hapoel Ramat Gan showed why they came to northern Israel with confidence. Defensively disciplined and physically aggressive, they forced Haifa to shift the ball from side to side without creating too many clear chances. Their goalkeeper produced several solid saves to keep the deficit at one goal going into halftime.

Second-half drama and resilience

The visitors stunned the home crowd early in the second period when a quick transition ended with an equaliser. A well-timed through ball split the Haifa centre-backs, and the forward made no mistake with a low finish into the far corner. The parity lasted only a few minutes, though, as Maccabi Haifa responded immediately with renewed urgency. A well-worked corner was met by a towering header at the near post to restore the lead.

Ramat Gan pushed forward in the closing stages, searching for a second equaliser, but Haifa's defensive unit held firm. The hosts managed the game intelligently, keeping possession in the final third and limiting the visitors to long-range efforts.

What the result means

This was an important three points for Maccabi Haifa, who enter the new league season with momentum. Coaching staff will be pleased with the creativity shown in the final third, even if finishing left room for improvement. Hapoel Ramat Gan, meanwhile, can take encouragement from a competitive display and will look to convert similar performances into results in the weeks ahead.

• Final score: Maccabi Haifa 2 – 1 Hapoel Ramat Gan
• Competition: Israel Premier League
• Venue: Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa
• Key stat: Maccabi Haifa controlled over 60% of possession but edged a tightly contested match by a single goal.