Maccabi Haifa Suffers Shock Home Defeat to Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Maccabi Haifa suffered a surprising 5-2 home defeat to Hapoel Be'er Sheva, conceding five goals in the second half after a confident start. The loss, marked by a ten-minute collapse and a red card, has raised questions about Haifa's ability to compete with top teams. Coach Barak Bakhar admitted the team "is still not there" and must quickly recover ahead of their next match.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Maccabi Haifa lost 5-2 at home to Hapoel Be'er Sheva, conceding five goals in the second half.
- A ten-minute period saw Haifa collapse, trailing 3-0 and receiving a red card.
- Player stated, "We fell apart in ten minutes," highlighting a lack of club characteristic.
- Coach Barak Bakhar admitted, "we are still not there" in competing with top teams.
- The loss dropped Haifa to 18 points, falling behind Be'er Sheva's 19 points.
Maccabi Haifa experienced a stunning 5-2 home loss to Hapoel Be'er Sheva at Sammy Ofer Stadium, dashing their hopes of a statement win in the title race. The team conceded all five goals in the second half, leading to frustration among fans who departed before the final whistle.
Within the locker room, players struggled to comprehend the collapse, especially given their pre-game confidence. "We received a ringing slap in the face," one player stated. "Everyone was sure we would win at home in front of a full stadium, the only question was by how much. We fell apart in ten minutes. This is not typical for us as a club, and certainly not for anyone dreaming of a title." The player emphasized the need for a swift recovery to avoid negating their recent two-month winning streak.
Haifa had entered the match with a strong start to the season, securing six wins in their first seven games. However, after a goalless first half, the game dramatically shifted in six minutes. Igor Zlatanovic scored in the 50th minute, followed by Diop's goal in the 54th, and Zlatanovic converted a penalty two minutes later after a foul by Steifman, who was subsequently sent off. This sequence left Haifa trailing 3-0 and a player down.
Coach Barak Bakhar expressed his disappointment, noting, "We received three goals in a few minutes. The game was over for us in ten minutes." He acknowledged the team's shortcomings against top rivals, stating, "There were high expectations, this is a slap. It was a big test for us to show we are there, and apparently, we are still not there."
Beyond the scoreline, statistics highlight Haifa's struggles against leading teams. Be'er Sheva secured their fourth consecutive win at Sammy Ofer, overtaking Haifa in the standings with 19 points to Haifa's 18. Bakhar's record since returning to the club shows only 22 out of a possible 75 points against top teams, with zero points this season. Haifa now faces a crucial away match against Hapoel Tel Aviv next week, needing to demonstrate a strong response to this defeat and prevent it from spiraling into a crisis.
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