Maccabi Haifa Eyes Kangwa Chora's Redemption Against Tiberias

Maccabi Haifa is set to host Ironi Tiberias on Saturday evening, aiming for a third consecutive victory before the international break. The team's morale is high following recent successes and the impressive debut of winger Pedro Brazão, who will make his home debut at Sammy Ofer Stadium. Young defender Noam Shtayman, recently called up to the national team, will also start his first game of the season, replacing Tsunami who reported groin sensitivity and will be rested. This is the only change in the backline. Striker Silva Kani will miss the match due to knee pain, a decision made jointly with the player after he received boos from some fans in the previous game. Gaby Melamed, last season's top scorer, has recovered from injury and returns to the squad along with Brazão, who was previously excluded due to the limit on foreign players. Kangwa Chora is expected to return to the starting lineup after two games, though he has not met expectations this season. "The burden of proof is on him," a club source stated, noting the intense competition and high expectations for his position. The Haifa fans are anticipated to attend in large numbers, with police approving the entry of fan support equipment. Coach Barak Bakhar and goalkeeper Omri Glazer emphasized the importance of fan support in a pre-game press conference. The projected starting lineup includes Glazer; Yalla Betaye, Nigel Lonwijk, Noam Shtayman, Kenny Saief; Ali Mohamed, Eitan Azulai, Bruninho; Pedro Brazão, Kangwa Chora, and Andrija Novakovich.