Hapoel, Maccabi Tel Aviv docked points after derby violence
By Ori Lewis
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israel Football Association court docked three points from Hapoel Tel Aviv and arch-rivals Maccabi after violent incidents in a Premier League match earlier this month which was abandoned at halftime.
The clubs will have two points deducted from their current total and will not be awarded a point for the match which was demmed a 0-0 draw. The score was 1-1 when it was abandoned.
Both teams share Bloomfield Stadium as their home ground and Hapoel were hosts of the abandoned fixture. The court also ruled that the sections occupied by Hapoel's and Maccabi's hard-core supporters be closed for each team's next four home matches.
Violence erupted in the November 3 derby clash in the 33rd minute when a Hapoel supporter jumped out of the stands and attacked Maccabi player Eran Zahavi.
Minutes earlier, Zahavi equalised with a penalty and followed it with a celebratory taunt of the Hapoel fans.
Zahavi at first tried to repel his attacker and then kicked back before the supporter was arrested. He has since been charged with several counts of assault.
Stunned for being sent off for retaliating against the supporter, Zahavi only left the pitch after a long melee.
Play was re-started briefly but a further pitch invasion by other fans, apparently from both sides, forced the referee to abandon the match with the teams in the dressing rooms.
The derby between the two major Tel Aviv clubs is always a highlight match for the arch-rival outfits whose respective hard line supporters are bitter adversaries. Champions Maccabi have dominated the fixture in recent seasons.
(Writing by Ori Lewis; editing by Martyn Herman)
