Hapoel Haifa Faces Setback After Toto Cup Loss, Owner Calls for Urgent Fixes

Hapoel Haifa suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Hapoel Kiryat Shmona on August 8 at Sammy Ofer Stadium, missing out on a spot in the Toto Cup semifinals. The club expressed satisfaction with their first-half performance but lamented their collapse after the 60th minute, a recurring issue that has cost them control in recent matches. Owner Yoav Katz told Sport Channel that this was the fourth consecutive game where the team made critical mistakes after halftime, emphasizing the need to address these repeated errors.

Katz described the loss as particularly painful both professionally and financially, noting that advancing to the semifinals would have brought nearly one million shekels to the club's coffers, a sum now significantly reduced. On the injury front, Naor Sabag was hurt during the match and will undergo evaluation to determine the severity and expected recovery time. Wahib Habiballah suffered a muscle strain during warm-up and was removed from the lineup at the last moment.

New loan signing Itay Zeprani made his first appearance after regaining fitness, while Tal Naim and Tamir Arbel continue their rehabilitation with hopes to resume training soon. The club also plans to finalize its roster this week, with trialist Jayden Braaf struggling to make an impact after entering in the 65th minute. Meanwhile, Hapoel Haifa is close to securing the return of striker William Agada for a second stint, pending final approval from club owners. Katz expressed optimism about closing the deal soon, which would strengthen the team's attacking options.