Hapoel Haifa Celebrates Dramatic Toto Cup Win, Eyes Strong Season Start

Hapoel Haifa marked their second consecutive victory in the Toto Cup with a dramatic 2-1 win over Bnei Sakhnin on Saturday, maintaining a perfect record early in the 2026/27 season. The team is close to securing a spot in the tournament's semifinals and is pleased with the integration of new players, showing promising signs even before the squad is fully assembled.

Coach Haim Silvas is still seeking to strengthen the team by adding at least two more players, specifically a winger and a striker. Winger Jaydeno Braff recently arrived in Israel for trials, and the club plans to evaluate him closely during upcoming training sessions, potentially giving him playing time in the next Toto Cup match. Additionally, new signing Shay Elias joined training over the weekend and is expected to make his debut soon as the team gradually introduces him.

Meanwhile, players Itay Zafrani and Tal Naim did not train, with Naim sidelined due to a pelvic injury, though Zafrani is expected to return to training shortly. Looking ahead, Darijo Zoparic will miss the next game after receiving a red card, with George Diba likely to replace him.

Following the win, the team expressed optimism, stating that at times they played like a top-tier team and could have won by a larger margin. They emphasized that despite it being only the Toto Cup, the current pace could make them a team that opponents will not want to face this season.