Doron Ben Dor
Cherry is frustrated. Forced to leave (Omri Stein)
Maccabi Haifa received a hard-fought 2: 0 loss yesterday (Saturday) to Maccabi Petah Tikva. It was Haifa’s fifth loss this season and it could find itself in second place tomorrow if Maccabi Tel Aviv defeats Beitar Jerusalem.
Maccabi Haifa knows that they can only make complaints to themselves. In the last two games, both against Hapoel Tel Aviv and yesterday, the team played a sluggish, inaccurate and flightless game in the second half. Haifa is aware of the fact that yesterday all the team’s lineups did not work, from the defensive players who were very weak through the link players who were even weaker to the front players who were almost non-existent. Most of the criticism was received by the link players, led by captain Neta Lavi, who lost ten balls, one of which was a critical loss that led to Maccabi Petah Tikva’s second goal.
Apart from Lavi, Muhammad Abu Fani was also very weak. Noble Omar and Muhammad Awad were not felt. “The writing was on the wall. Although some of the players are squeezed it does not make sense that the heart of the link will not work and that Neta will lose so many balls. Abu Fani was hardly seen taking over anymore. It is impossible to succeed when our link looks like yesterday. It is clear to all of us that now we will have to pick up the pieces and recover ourselves so that no snowball is formed because with this ability we have shown there is no chance that we will take the championship this season. It was a difficult evening but the road is still long, “said the group.
Haifa is aware that Chiron Cherry’s injury was significant, especially in light of the fact that key players are still missing – Rokavica, Dolev Haziza and Goodsway Donio took over. All four are scheduled to return and play next week against Bnei Yehuda. All of Barak Bachar’s attempts to save something from the game came to naught and moreover, Haifa could have been left with 10 players if Ernest Mabuka had been sent off following the foul he committed during the second half.
“It is time to focus on the battles that await us. We will rest and gather strength now. Against Bnei Yehuda, we will return with a full and much higher quality staff. Haziza and Rokavica are a significant force that can give us back the power of deterrence. The league for us is starting now, “they added in Haifa.
