Maccabi Haifa Dominates Kiryat Shmona, New Signing Pedro Brazão Shines

Maccabi Haifa secured their second consecutive league victory on Monday, defeating Kiryat Shmona 4-0 in an away match. The team, managed by Barak Bachar, capitalized on a red card shown to Ofir Benvenisti to control the game. Portuguese winger Pedro Brazão was a standout performer in his debut, contributing a goal and an assist. The club expressed high satisfaction with Brazão, noting his ability to create plays when he has the ball and his impressive one-on-one skills, stating he is a "football star" who has much more to offer.

Coach Barak Bachar experimented with the lineup, fielding Yair Mordechai for the first time and moving Lior Refaelov to the left wing. Refaelov may return to his previous attacking midfield role where he excelled in earlier games. The club was also pleased with the performance of substitutes, including young player Noam Steifman, who scored a goal and might see more playing time. Kangi Hura also made a positive impression. Despite the win, the team acknowledged defensive vulnerabilities when holding a lead.

Following the match, players received encouragement from the fans. However, Silva Kani reportedly left the field quickly for the locker room, allegedly due to crowd taunts, and appeared disappointed despite playing. Meanwhile, Maccabi Haifa is actively seeking to sign a left-back before the transfer window closes, with ongoing negotiations for Lucas Baros of Vojvodina and Kenneth Paal of Antalyaspor. If a new left-back is acquired, Pedro Brazão, who was not in the squad for the recent game, is expected to depart the club.