Eli Dasa Joins Maccabi Haifa After Dutch Club's Defensive Woes
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
Eli Dasa, captain of the Israel national team, has signed with Maccabi Haifa after his former Dutch club, NEC Nijmegen, opted not to extend his contract. The Dutch club's defense has struggled significantly this season, conceding 14 goals in eight games after a strong defensive record last year. Dasa's departure, along with that of midfielder Kodai Sano, has been cited as a factor in the team's defensive instability.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Eli Dasa, captain of the Israel national team, has signed with Maccabi Haifa.
- NEC Nijmegen did not retain Dasa after a disappointing start to their season.
- The Dutch club's defense has conceded 14 goals in eight games this season.
- Last season, NEC Nijmegen conceded only 24 goals in 34 games.
- Midfielder Kodai Sano also departed the Dutch club.
Eli Dasa, the captain of the Israel national team, has signed with Maccabi Haifa, the Israeli club announced Monday. Dasa joins the "Greens" from the Carmel after a season where he played and excelled for Dutch club NEC Nijmegen. NEC Nijmegen chose not to retain Dasa, who was their only player operating as a center-back last season, following a disappointing start to their current campaign in the Dutch league. The departure of defensive midfielder Kodai Sano also weakened the team.
NEC Nijmegen has signed Turkish player Ahmetcan Kaplan from Ajax, their most significant acquisition, and retained coach Dick Schreuder. Dutch outlet GLD noted that NEC Nijmegen was last season's surprise team, but their current "dangerous style of play" and "individual defense" have faltered after key departures, leading to a loss of balance and significant defensive struggles. The team has not kept a single clean sheet this season, with their last two matches ending in 1-1 draws.
This season, NEC Nijmegen has conceded 14 goals in eight games, a stark contrast to the 24 goals they allowed in the entire previous 34-game season, which saw them finish in third place. The team has already lost seven games this season, compared to only seven losses throughout the entirety of the last season.
