Maccabi Tel Aviv Coach Surprises With Defensive Lineup Change in Season Opener

Maccabi Tel Aviv began their 2026/27 Israeli Premier League season with an away match against Hapoel Jerusalem in Rehovot on August 23, 2026. In a surprising move, head coach Kenny Miller chose to start Noam Ben Harush, a defender who saw limited playtime last season, instead of the usual starter Tyrese Asante. Ben Harush had only started once this season prior, in a largely inconsequential second-leg match against Sheriff Tiraspol after a 5-0 first-leg victory. In the first game against CSKA Sofia, Ben Harush came on only in the second half, with Shahar Rozen preferred ahead of him.

Asante passed a fitness test but was benched for this match, likely due to Miller's rotation strategy ahead of the upcoming Europa Conference League second-leg against Lugano in four days. Ben Harush started alongside Itay Ben Hamo, who replaced Mohamed Ali Kamara in the starting lineup, with Kamara also on the bench. This adjustment marks a tactical shift from the previous match where Ben Hamo played alongside Kamara. Miller’s lineup choices suggest a strategic approach to managing player fitness and readiness across multiple competitions early in the season.