The Israeli Classico delivered another classic. In a pulsating semifinal at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv edged rivals Maccabi Haifa 3-2 to book their place in the Israel State Cup final against Hapoel Beersheba.

This clash, one of the nation's fiercest rivalries, lived up to its billing with end-to-end action. Dor Peretz opened the scoring for Tel Aviv, only for Eitan Azulay to pull Haifa level before halftime, setting the stage for a dramatic second half.

The game turned on a triple substitution by Maccabi Tel Aviv manager Ronny Delia. The changes paid immediate dividends as Tyrese Asante restored the lead and Roy Revivo quickly added a third to seemingly put the game to bed. A late strike from Silva Kani set up a nervy finish, but the yellow-and-blue held firm to secure a memorable victory.

The atmosphere, while electric, was notably subdued compared to a typical Classico, with crowd capacity limited to roughly 5,000 by the Home Front Command—a far cry from the usual 30,000-strong roar that fills the capital for this fixture.

Despite the smaller crowd, the on-field drama was immense. Haifa, controlling much of the play, missed a golden opportunity when former Hapoel Jerusalem player Cedric Don blazed a chance over the bar with the goal at his mercy. That miss proved costly, as Maccabi Tel Aviv's clinical finishing ultimately decided this epic cup tie, sending them one step closer to silverware.