Hapoel Ramat Gan Frustrated After 2-1 Loss to Maccabi Haifa in Premier League Return

Hapoel Ramat Gan returned to the Israeli Premier League with a 2-1 defeat against Maccabi Haifa at Sammy Ofer Stadium on Saturday, leaving the team frustrated and disappointed. Under coach Masai Dago, Ramat Gan struggled in the first half but showed significant improvement in the second, nearly equalizing late in the match. The club expressed strong dissatisfaction with the refereeing by chief official Omer Biran, particularly criticizing a penalty awarded against them in the second half, which they deemed unjustified.

A club source acknowledged the difficulty of the match, saying, "For a first league game, especially at Sammy Ofer against Maccabi Haifa, it was acceptable. We knew we had to be at our best to get a point or three, and it didn’t quite work out. This game leaves us optimistic for the future." Looking ahead, Ramat Gan will host Hapoel Be’er Sheva at their new stadium in Rehovot, with key defender Jota Goncalves returning from suspension. Brazilian defender Marcio Silva and winger Matan Hozez are also expected to increase their training intensity ahead of the next match.

Coach Dago, who previously managed Maccabi Haifa, shared his emotional connection to the stadium and the league, saying, "I have never been as excited as before this game. Returning here and seeing the crowd was amazing and very emotional." He admitted the team was overwhelmed in the first 30 minutes but praised their second-half performance despite the 0-2 deficit early in the half. Dago emphasized the challenge of integrating 21 new players into the squad and the need to focus on each upcoming game individually, highlighting the tough schedule ahead against top teams like Be’er Sheva, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Beitar Jerusalem.

Regarding the refereeing, Dago expressed respect for Omer Biran but criticized his performance, stating, "I asked him to come brave to Sammy Ofer, but he didn’t. Every small call against us led to a yellow card, and the VAR review for the penalty took six minutes, which was shocking. I expect us to be treated with respect." Despite the refereeing issues, Dago acknowledged the team’s poor start but insisted on the importance of earning points against strong opponents moving forward.