Maccabi Haifa Dominates Kiryat Shmona 4-0 in Debut Win for Newcomer Brazão

Maccabi Haifa secured a decisive 4-0 victory over Ironi Kiryat Shmona on Monday, marking a significant performance highlighted by the debut of new signing Pedro Brazão. Brazão, who joined the team recently, impressed with several skillful plays, scoring a spectacular goal in the 56th minute and assisting Eitan Azulai for his goal in the 40th minute. Noam Steifman added to the scoreline in the 66th minute, and Tsunami sealed the win with a goal in the 86th minute.

This marks Maccabi Haifa's second consecutive win and third of the season under coach Barak Bakhar. Bakhar expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, emphasizing the importance of building confidence and regaining fan trust through consistent wins and strong play. He noted the team's significant improvement since a previous 3-0 loss to Kiryat Shmona, highlighting the growing connection between players and the need to recapture the team's former intensity.

Regarding the new acquisition, Bakhar stated that Brazão brings valuable quality that was previously missing and that his immediate fitness allowed for his early inclusion. He also indicated that the team would seek further reinforcements if opportunities arise but would proceed with the current squad if not. Bakhar acknowledged existing issues and expressed commitment to resolving them.

Ironi Kiryat Shmona's coach, Shai Birada, attributed the loss partly to a red card received by his team, though he felt his team had created significant chances before and after the dismissal. He expressed disappointment with the team's collapse and the soft play, stating that playing with ten men against a strong opponent like Maccabi Haifa is challenging. Birada also noted a pattern of receiving red cards and conceding multiple goals, issues he intends to address.

Despite the heavy defeat, Birada remained optimistic about Kiryat Shmona's future, asserting that the team has a good squad and will aim to secure points in upcoming matches, urging against underestimating them.