Maccabi Tel Aviv Keeps Ofek Melika as Starting Goalkeeper Against Lugano

Maccabi Tel Aviv will face Lugano tonight in the second leg of their Conference League qualifier, aiming to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first match. Despite a suspension in the previous game against Hapoel Jerusalem and a desire to give goalkeeper Roy Meshpati some playing time before their league match against Maccabi Haifa, Ofek Melika will remain the starting goalkeeper for coach Kenny Miller.

Injured goalkeeper Sagiv Yehezkel will continue to be sidelined due to a groin injury, with an expected recovery time of about two weeks. Additionally, Saeed Abu Farhi will be unavailable after traveling to the United States to finalize a transfer to Colorado. Approximately 1,000 fans are expected to attend the match in Batumi to support Maccabi Tel Aviv and help prevent elimination from the Conference League.

Following a strong performance against Hapoel Jerusalem, team morale has improved, and the squad is confident in their ability to stage a comeback. Striker Astr Sukler will lead the attack seeking his second goal for the club, while Dor Peretz aims to continue his positive momentum after scoring a hat-trick recently. Oshir Davida is expected to maintain his role on the wing. The projected starting lineup includes Melika; Noam Ben Harush (or Itay Ben Hamo), Raz Shlomo, Ali Kamara, Roy Revivo; Isof Sisoko, Ido Shahar, Dor Peretz; Oshir Davida, Astr Sukler, and Helio Varela.