Maccabi Haifa Plays One Minute with 10 Men Due to New Substitution Rule
During a Toto Cup match against Bnei Sakhnin on August 8, 2026, Maccabi Haifa experienced the impact of a new Israeli Premier League rule regarding substitutions. In the 69th minute, Manuel Benson was set to replace Bruninho, marking Benson's first appearance since May after an injury. However, the substitution was delayed by over 10 seconds because Bruninho took too long to leave the field. As a result, referee Yoni Kalaz enforced the new rule requiring Benson to wait an additional 60 seconds before entering the pitch. This caused Maccabi Haifa to play with only 10 players for about one minute. The incident highlights the practical effects of the new regulation ahead of the upcoming season.
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