Ziv Arie will take charge of his first Petah Tikva derby this evening, and the new Maccabi Petah Tikva coach is in no mood to treat it as a warm-up fixture, even though it counts only for the Toto Cup.
"A derby is not just another match, even in the Toto Cup," Arie said, according to ONE. "We will arrive with purpose, to give the fans something to enjoy."
Maccabi host bitter city rivals Hapoel Petah Tikva at HaMoshava Stadium, the ground the two clubs share, in what doubles as Arie's competitive debut on the Maccabi bench. He was appointed head coach in late May, succeeding Noam Shoham, less than two months after leaving Hapoel Jerusalem.
The fixture carries extra weight for Maccabi, who return to Ligat Ha'al this season after spending the previous campaign in the second-tier Liga Leumit. A strong start against their local rivals, even in a pre-season cup tie, would be a statement of intent as Arie builds his squad for the top flight.
According to ONE, Arie will be without defender Eitan Tibi and full-back Lee-Yom Dan, who is nursing an ankle injury, for the derby. Midfielder Ariel Lugasi also misses out as he continues his recovery from a ligament tear, though he is expected to be fit in time for the start of the league season.
In a notable selection call, captain Mohammad Hindi has been left out of the starting eleven. Arie's central defensive pairing for the derby is Fabrício and Pablo Correa, ONE reported, while winger Ibrahim Soma and English signing Kyle Spence are both handed their first starts for the club.
The occasion also marks the unveiling of Maccabi Petah Tikva's new kit for the 2026-27 season, giving supporters their first look at the strip in a competitive match.
With Ligat Ha'al survival and a fresh coaching era both on the agenda, Arie's message to his players and fans alike was simple: derby night still matters, whatever the competition.
