Maccabi Haifa Completes Third Straight Comeback, Takes League Lead
Translated & summarized from 0404 by baba
Maccabi Haifa achieved its third consecutive comeback win, beating Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-1 to temporarily take first place in the league. Coach Barak Bakhar praised the team's mental strength despite acknowledging performance issues. New player Eli Dasa debuted, and goal scorer Noam Steifman highlighted practice and fan support. Maccabi Petah Tikva's coach cited defensive errors for their fifth straight loss.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Maccabi Haifa defeated Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-1 with two second-half goals to take the league lead.
- Coach Barak Bakhar highlighted the team's mental resilience in achieving their third straight comeback win.
- New Maccabi Haifa player Eli Dasa, captain of the national team, made his debut.
- Maccabi Petah Tikva coach Ziv Arie blamed defensive errors for his team's fifth consecutive loss.
- Noam Steifman scored the winning goal for Maccabi Haifa after practicing set pieces.
Maccabi Haifa secured their third consecutive comeback victory on Tuesday, defeating Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-1 away to temporarily claim the top spot in the league standings. The Greens fell behind early to a goal from Or Inbrom, but second-half headers from Eitan Azulay and Noam Steifman sealed the crucial three points.
Coach Barak Bakhar acknowledged his team's struggles against a tight defense but emphasized the team's growing mental fortitude. He noted that their ability to repeatedly come back from behind demonstrates increasing confidence and resilience under pressure. Bakhar also addressed early-season criticism, explaining that integrating new players takes time, and despite the winning streak, areas for improvement remain, particularly conceding early goals.
Bakhar praised the debut of new signing Eli Dasa, the captain of the Israeli national team, highlighting his experience and expected contribution to the locker room. Steifman, who scored the winning goal, expressed his excitement, attributing it to practicing set pieces and crediting the fans' support for a significant boost.
Conversely, Maccabi Petah Tikva coach Ziv Arie pointed to defensive lapses and set-piece failures as reasons for his team's fifth consecutive loss, despite creating scoring opportunities.
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