Maccabi Haifa Mount Comeback Victory Over Ironi Tiberias

Maccabi Haifa secured a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory against Ironi Tiberias on Saturday, erasing a 2-1 deficit to head into the international break on a high note. Coach Barak Bakhar praised his team's character, noting they conceded goals against the run of play but still managed to turn the game around.

Bakhar acknowledged the team's ongoing defensive coordination issues, attributing them to new players and the need for better understanding. "We are making quite a few mistakes, we need to work on it," he stated, while expressing confidence in the quality of the players brought in and the competition within the squad.

He specifically highlighted the positive impact of new signing Andrea Novakoivch, who he believes elevates the performance of his teammates. "Novakoivch lifts the others, his personality is a big bonus for us," Bakhar said, adding that the team showed significant confidence heading into the break.

Novakoivch himself expressed his delight with the team's atmosphere and performance, stating, "I understand that I have arrived at the biggest team in Israel." He credited the team's collective effort in pressing and running, and playfully attributed his goal celebration to inspiration from Luca Toni.

Ironi Tiberias coach Alon Ziv lamented his team's excessive turnovers and unnecessary mistakes, which ultimately cost them the game. "We came to play football. In large parts of the game we played good football, we wanted to win this game," Ziv said, expressing disappointment at leaving with praise instead of points.

Ziv also touched upon the club's difficult situation, noting that while the professional staff focuses on the field, others are working to resolve off-field issues. Despite accumulating some points, the team remains at the bottom of the league standings.