Maccabi Haifa Eyes Comeback Against Hapoel Petah Tikva With Expected Lineup Changes

Maccabi Haifa is preparing to face Hapoel Petah Tikva on Saturday, aiming to rebound from a disappointing 3-1 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Head coach Barak Bakhar was reportedly unhappy with his team's performance, particularly in the first half of their last match, and is expected to make at least two changes to the starting lineup.

Ali Mohamed is anticipated to start in place of Yarin Levy, and new signing Andrea Novakovich is set to make his debut in the starting eleven, replacing Silva Kani. Bakhar is also considering adjustments to the team's formation, with a potential shift to a 5-3-2 system being evaluated. If this formation is adopted, Iyad Halaili might start over Iyad Betay, with Bruninho joining Novakovich upfront and Kenny Saief playing in midfield.

Further decisions are pending for the left-wing position, where captain Tjaronn Chery and Cedric Don, neither of whom have impressed significantly so far, were practiced during the final training session. Yair Mordechai, who had a positive impact as a substitute against Maccabi Tel Aviv, is expected to remain on the bench.

Guy Melamed, Maccabi Haifa's top scorer last season, is set to be on the bench after missing the last two squad selections and is expected to get his first league minutes of the season. Bakhar has emphasized the need for aggression and tactical discipline against their opponents and hopes the home crowd will provide a boost, similar to their previous home game against Hapoel Ramat Gan, which secured them three points.

The projected starting lineup includes Omri Glazer in goal; Iyad Halaili (or Iyad Betay), Nigel Lonwijk, Pedrao, and Sun Menachem in defense; Ali Mohamed, Eitan Azulai, and Bruninho in midfield; and Kenny Saief, Cedric Don (or Tjaronn Chery), and Andrea Novakovich in attack.