Maccabi Haifa Secures Win Over Hapoel Ramat Gan but Sees Need for Improvement

Maccabi Haifa began the 2026/27 season positively with a 2-1 victory against Hapoel Ramat Gan on Saturday, easing pressure after a shaky Toto Cup preparation marked by three losses and two wins. The win was largely thanks to Brazilian player Bruninho, who scored twice in the 22nd and 46th minutes, justifying the club's decision to sign him in January. However, after the second goal, Haifa retreated, lost control, and allowed the newly promoted team to rally. Maksim Plakuschenko reduced the deficit in the 61st minute, and Ramat Gan continued to press, nearly equalizing. In the 89th minute, Eitan Azulai missed a penalty and the rebound, missing a chance to seal the game.

A club source emphasized that the most important takeaway was the victory, noting that Bruninho has yet to show even half of his potential and that the team needs time to gel. While the first half-hour and overall attitude were praised, the coaching staff acknowledged the need to fix the sharp decline in performance after taking the lead. Ahead of their next match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, Haifa recognizes significant room for improvement, especially in defense, which appeared vulnerable, and in attack, which relied heavily on Bruninho's individual efforts.

The club also faces challenges due to the season-ending injury of Manuel Benson, who suffered a torn cruciate ligament and meniscus. This situation is expected to accelerate efforts to sign another attacking player. Additionally, tensions remain between midfielder Yarin Levi and the fans. Despite signing a new contract last week and delivering a good performance against Ramat Gan, Levi did not receive personal support from the northern stand, unlike his teammates. The club hopes this tension will soon resolve, as Levi is expected to play a significant role in midfield this season and deserves full fan backing.