Sports · Full coverage
Maccabi Haifa Defender Nigel Lonwijk Blamed for Early Goal in Debut Match
How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
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First reported by Mako · 10 minutes ago
What happened
Maccabi Haifa defender Nigel Lonwijk made a critical error in his debut match on July 28, 2026, allowing Niv Gabai to score an early goal for Ironi Kiryat Shmona, contributing to Haifa's ongoing struggles in the Toto Cup.
- 01Nigel Lonwijk made a costly mistake seven minutes into his debut for Maccabi Haifa.
- 02Niv Gabai scored an early goal against his parent club after winning the ball from Lonwijk.
- 03The match was part of the Toto Cup, with Haifa seeking their first win of the 2026/27 season.
- 04Haifa had lost their opening Toto Cup match to Hapoel Haifa prior to this game.
- 05Sports media harshly criticized Lonwijk's error, comparing it to a beginner's mistake in FIFA.
- 06After conceding, Lonwijk changed his boots on the field during the match.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
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