Bnei Sakhnin Faces Maccabi Jerusalem With Key Absences and New Faces

Bnei Sakhnin is preparing for their upcoming match against Maccabi Jerusalem on Monday, with coach Yossi Abukasis seeking his first win of the 2026/27 season. The team faces a significantly depleted squad due to injuries and loan agreements. Key players sidelined include Dimitri Cabra, who has finished his season, and Romanian striker Daniel Parschiv, who is expected to miss about six weeks with an injury sustained last week.

Adding to the defensive challenges, new signing Ori Dahan, a defender, will be unable to play against Maccabi Jerusalem due to a clause in his transfer agreement. This situation creates a problem in central defense, especially as fellow defender Amit Kariv did not participate in training and is attempting to return. Meanwhile, Elai Hajjaj, on loan from Maccabi Jerusalem, is set to start against his former club, unlike Dahan.

In other team news, left-back Sanna Gomes might lose his starting position due to subpar performance. Antonio Sfer, who joined from Bnei Reina last week, is expected to start in defense, as is Ahmed Taha, who has had limited playing time. Abukasis is also considering changes in the forward line, with Basem Huri potentially getting an opportunity.

Coach Abukasis expressed his determination for the upcoming game, stating, "This is a game where we know we need to bring points. I think our last game was very good in the first half. In the second half, we weakened, and we need to bring more minutes from our first half. Of course, we are at home and want to bring points. Maccabi Jerusalem is a good team, but we are also progressing." Elai Hajjaj added, "Yes, we have a game against Maccabi Jerusalem. We had good preparation this week, the staff is preparing us properly. It will not be an easy game. We will come from the start and do everything to win. I call from here for the fans to come and cheer us on, to support us from the start. We will be together from the start, and God willing, it will be good."