Israeli Soccer League Game Abandoned at Halftime after Fireworks Thrown onto Field

28 November 2024, Berlin: Maccabi Tel Aviv fans wave Israeli flags in the stands during the EuroLeague Basketball match between Alba Berlin and Maccabi Tel Aviv at Uber Arena. Photo: Andreas Gora/dpa
28 November 2024, Berlin: Maccabi Tel Aviv fans wave Israeli flags in the stands during the EuroLeague Basketball match between Alba Berlin and Maccabi Tel Aviv at Uber Arena. Photo: Andreas Gora/dpa
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Israeli Soccer League Game Abandoned at Halftime after Fireworks Thrown onto Field

28 November 2024, Berlin: Maccabi Tel Aviv fans wave Israeli flags in the stands during the EuroLeague Basketball match between Alba Berlin and Maccabi Tel Aviv at Uber Arena. Photo: Andreas Gora/dpa
28 November 2024, Berlin: Maccabi Tel Aviv fans wave Israeli flags in the stands during the EuroLeague Basketball match between Alba Berlin and Maccabi Tel Aviv at Uber Arena. Photo: Andreas Gora/dpa

A game in the Israeli soccer league was abandoned at halftime for security reasons after fans threw flares at players and came onto the field.

Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv were tied at 1-1 on Monday evening after a first half interrupted by lit fireworks being thrown from a section of home fans and nearly hitting players. Maccabi Tel Aviv leveled the game with a penalty kick scored in the 15th minute of stoppage time added at the end of the half, Reuters reported.

“After a discussion in the dressing room between the local police commander, the match delegate, the referee and representatives of both clubs, the police decided to abandon the match in fear of safety for the players and fans,” Maccabi Tel Aviv said in a statement.

Israeli media reported that sports minister Miki Zohar had asked police to stop the game.

“There is no point in holding such a sporting event amidst this intolerable violence,” Zohar was quoted saying in reports.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is second in the Israeli Premier League, five points behind leader Hapoel Beer Sheva, and Maccabi Haifa is fourth.



Italian Club Parma Hires Cristian Chivu as Coach for Relegation Battle in Serie A 

Parma’s Giovanni Leoni (C) celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913, in Cagliari, Italy, 09 February 2025. (EPA)
Parma’s Giovanni Leoni (C) celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913, in Cagliari, Italy, 09 February 2025. (EPA)
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Italian Club Parma Hires Cristian Chivu as Coach for Relegation Battle in Serie A 

Parma’s Giovanni Leoni (C) celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913, in Cagliari, Italy, 09 February 2025. (EPA)
Parma’s Giovanni Leoni (C) celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913, in Cagliari, Italy, 09 February 2025. (EPA)

Relegation-threatened Parma hired Cristian Chivu as coach on Tuesday with the team 18th in the 20-team Serie A.

Parma announced the appointment in a statement that did not specify contract details, but according to reports Chivu's deal runs until the end of next season.

The former Romania defender, who was working as a youth coach at Inter Milan, will lead the team for the first time when it hosts Bologna on Saturday.

Parma lost four straight games before firing Fabio Pecchia on Monday and has not won a league game in 2025.