Maccabi Haifa Faces Early Season Struggles After Loss to Rival

Maccabi Haifa suffered their first loss of the season in the Israeli Premier League, falling 3-1 to rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv at Bloomfield Stadium. The team struggled to replicate their previous form, particularly against Maccabi Tel Aviv at this venue, with Dor Peretz scoring twice for the opposition after defensive lapses. "We prepared all week exactly for these runs and conceded from them," a team source admitted, expressing frustration.

Despite a win in their opening match against Hapoel Ramat Gan, coach Barak Bakhar appears to still be searching for his optimal lineup. While Ali Mohamed is expected to start in the next game against Hapoel Petah Tikva, Kengi Hura's place in the starting eleven is uncertain after a poor performance. The introduction of Iyad Hallaili and Yair Mordechai in the second half improved Haifa's quality, adding to Bakhar's selection dilemmas.

Several players have underperformed, including Pedro who conceded a penalty and appeared rusty after a long layoff. Concerns have been raised about the decision to retain him following a serious injury, with one source stating, "It's not certain it was a good decision." The defense, particularly the center-back pairing, is also seen as a weakness, with Tsunami not yet proving an adequate replacement for Pierre Cornud or Linoy Pisgacht, and the club considering him better suited as a center-back. The team also lacks an attacking left-back and a quality right winger.

A club source told Sport Channel, "A lot of money was invested in building the squad this summer, and right now it doesn't look good. We lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv, who are far from their peak. If we want to be at the top, we need to improve, and if necessary, make tough decisions."