Bnei Sakhnin Faces Maccabi Petah Tikva With Key Absences and New Faces

Bnei Sakhnin is preparing for their upcoming match against Maccabi Petah Tikva, facing a significantly depleted squad. Key players sidelined include Dimitri Cabra, who has finished his season, and Romanian striker Daniel Parschiv, out for approximately six weeks with an injury sustained last week. Additionally, Uri Dahan, a recent signing, will be unable to play against his former team due to a contractual agreement, creating a defensive challenge for coach Yossi Abuksis.

Despite these setbacks, Elai Hajjaj, on loan from Maccabi Petah Tikva, is expected to start against his former club. Antonio Sefer, who joined from Bnei Raina last week, is also slated to begin in the starting lineup, as is Ahmed Taha, who has seen limited playing time. The team is also monitoring the fitness of Amit Kardi, who missed training, and considering changes on the left flank due to Sanna Gomes's recent poor performance.

Coach Yossi Abuksis expressed his determination to secure points at home, acknowledging the team's need to replicate their strong first-half performance from their last game. He stated, "This is a game where we know we need to bring points. I think our last game was very good in the first half. In the second half we weakened, and we need to bring more minutes from our first half. Of course, we are at home and want to bring points. Maccabi Petah Tikva is a good team but we are also progressing."

Elai Hajjaj echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the team's thorough preparation and their commitment to fighting for a win from the outset. He appealed to the fans for support, saying, "Yes, we have a game against Maccabi Petah Tikva. We had good preparation this week, the staff is preparing us properly. It will not be an easy game. We will come from the start and do everything to win. I call from here, for the fans to come and cheer us on, to support us from the start. We will be together from the start, and God willing, it will be good."