Maccabi Petah Tikva Opens Israeli Premier League Season with Hard-Fought 2-1 Win Over Hapoel Kfar Saba

Maccabi Petah Tikva, newly promoted to the Israeli Premier League, secured an important 2-1 victory against Hapoel Kfar Saba in the opening round on Saturday night. Despite a dip in performance during the second half, the club expressed satisfaction with the win and highlighted the players' character as a foundation for the season ahead.

Head coach Ziv Arie, making his debut in the top division with Maccabi Petah Tikva, acknowledged the challenges faced during the match and emphasized the significance of starting the season with a win. He noted that the team defended well despite conceding a surprising goal and described Kfar Saba as a strong opponent that created difficulties. Arie refrained from setting long-term goals, focusing instead on maximizing each game’s potential and preparing for a tough away match against Bnei Sakhnin next week.

The club also confirmed that defender Yao Alouzou, formerly of Hapoel Jerusalem, will arrive for a trial, with hopes to sign an additional foreign center-back. Samuel Owusu impressed by scoring a crucial goal and assisting Marco Rekoniatz for the second. Veteran defender Eitan Tibi, 39, expressed his excitement about starting the season and his continued passion for football, despite his age, noting the physical demands and the presence of many players over 40 in the league today.

Maccabi Petah Tikva’s victory sets a positive tone for their return to the top flight, with the team aiming to build on this start as the season progresses.