Ramat Gan Coach Compares First Win to 'Birth,' Eyes New Signings

Hapoel Ramat Gan secured their first win in the Israeli Premier League in over 13 years, defeating Maccabi Netanya 2-0 on Monday. The victory marked Netanya's first loss of the season.

Ramat Gan's coach, Massai Dego, described the win as a "birth," acknowledging the team's difficult streak of three consecutive losses, including a particularly demoralizing defeat the previous week. "We got a lot of criticism all week, it was hard, but we limited Netanya to fewer chances than they've had so far," Dego stated, expressing pride in his players' performance. He highlighted the team's attacking efforts in most games this season and their recovery from a challenging match against Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Looking ahead to the transfer window's close, Dego expressed confidence in adding "one or two more players." He specifically praised the debut performance of Guni Naor, who started the match despite some surprise from the coaching staff. "I know Guni Naor and his abilities," Dego said, "he did perfectly." He also lauded the potential of goalkeeper Amit Reif, calling him a "special kid" and a "future goalkeeper" he trusts implicitly, while also noting the addition of experienced goalkeeper Arik Yanko. Ramat Gan's next match is against Sakhnin.

Guni Naor, making his first start for Ramat Gan, shared his excitement about the win and the team's home-field advantage. "It's great to start my first game with a win," Naor said. "I worked hard recently to be ready for this moment, even when I wasn't in Maccabi Haifa's plans." He explained his decision to join Ramat Gan was due to a strong connection with the club and a desire to play a significant role.

Conversely, Netanya coach Roni Levy expressed disappointment with his team's performance. "A very disappointing game, a very painful loss," Levy stated. "We started very well, but conceded too easily on their first attacks." He felt the team lacked the necessary heart and soul, despite creating enough chances. "We put them back in the game in a way that made it hard to come back," he added, noting Ramat Gan's effective defense. Levy anticipates adding a center-back and a winger to the squad, but stressed that internal improvement is crucial. The team now prepares to face Maccabi Tel Aviv.