Outside the lines, 18.2/Editor: Ziv Steiner
Maccabi Haifa's tight game schedule took its toll on the Greens, who tonight (Sunday) failed in their mission to win one of the most important games for the club - the Haifa derby.
Three days after Ghent and three days before the rematch in Belgium in the Conference League playoffs, the champion only drew 1:1 against the city rival, which breaks a streak of eight losses in the derby.
Tomer Yousfi set up a distribution of points after Gadi Kinda's first goal in the league, when even earlier Lior Rafalov missed a penalty that he may still regret.
Following the result Maccabi Tel Aviv will be able to stick to the champion if they beat Maccabi Netanya, while Roni Levy is eight points away from the top with the top playoff already around the corner.
Stumbling in the derby.
Masai Dago/Maor Alxalsi
Maccabi Haifa coach Masai Dego said at the end: "In the first quarter of an hour we were patient, we did some good actions and even after missing the penalty we continued like that and scored. After that we were impatient. There are these games, we didn't deserve to win. I told Anan Halaili that he should be a little More mature, we could have closed the game. We knew that Hapoel Haifa is a good team that makes lethal passes, in my opinion they are the best in the league.
On Halaili's decision-making, Dego added: "There are situations with children that sometimes instead of beating them in the head, you have to explain to them what to correct. I told him that in order to improve, he needs to be more encouraging, precisely when the whole country is looking at him. He will learn from this."
The explanation for the draw: "I don't know if it's fatigue, there were several players here who didn't start against Ghent. In the end, the players want to give 200 percent, maybe there is an effect of the flights. We came with a good attitude and entered the game amazingly, but from the 50th minute we dropped a bit. We made the substitutions that were requested And they didn't have too much of an impact. There are also days like that."
Ahead of the return match against Ghent on Wednesday: "Tomorrow we fly, it's a crazy schedule.
The game against Ghent is very important for me and the club, we must advance to the round of 16.
There is a strong and physical opponent, but it is possible.
There is a wide squad and I believe in all of them, we made a lot of changes in the first game against Gent.
You have to use them all, it's not just the games, it's also the flights and trips.
It's not easy, but these are no excuses.
Whoever is tired should say and he won't play, whoever is on the field should give 200 percent."
Gadi Kinda added: "We scored in the opening the way we wanted, we had very good minutes and we expected and wanted to win, but it didn't work out.
Hapoel Haifa also created situations and was very dangerous, so we will try on another occasion.
I am happy about the first goal in the league and hope there will be many more goals.
There are good guys here who made me feel at home from the first moment and I'm happy that I'm getting back into shape and my rhythm, I still don't feel like I'm at one hundred percent.
There are no excuses, even with all the load we have to give in every game what we can."
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The streak of losses in the derby was interrupted.
Roni Levy/Maor Alxalsi
On the other hand, Roni Levy summed up the derby from the red side: "We had a good performance, the guys played without feelings of inferiority and with a lot of confidence, as I expected. We also stood up well tactically, and when it comes to moving the ball in attack, we found solutions all the time, we knew how to produce 2 on 1 in places where they were exposed and we got into enough situations to score more than one goal. I'm satisfied, a good word goes to the players and also to the fans who pushed us. I'm proud in terms of the attitude, we got to an away game against the national champion who is having a great campaign in Europe and I think we were equal. We had a few Misses are crazy, there are days like today it didn't work out, but at least we got back to the game."
The coach also said: "We must not let what happened against Hapoel Jerusalem happen to us again, but after today's game we can be optimistic. We have come a long way since the beginning of the season and today the team is more cohesive. In the attack we were able to expose them and that put us in a very good game. Maccabi Haifa always starts strong Very decisive games at the beginning, it's something we were afraid of and we couldn't prevent them from scoring, but I made a change to create an advantage in the line and Alhamid was on the line against Halaili because everyone needs to pay attention to them. We won't make statements after one game, we want to maintain a good ability throughout Time and the results will come."
Goal scorer Tomer Yosef added: "It's hard to be happy about a draw, even if it's a good result for us in a Maccabi Haifa home game, because we could have won. It's a very exciting experience to score in a major game in front of 30,000 spectators and I'm glad I did it and hope to continue on this path. In the end, we came out with a point and we are looking forward. What is my goal? I don't have a goal, I look from game to game, expect from myself and work hard to contribute to the team. I'm glad it's reflected in my numbers."
On the haircut: "I made the number 134 for the abductees and I dedicate it to Rumi Gonen who was kidnapped in Gaza. On the other side I have a Star of David and I pray that all the abductees return and that the war ends."
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Maccabi Haifa
Hapoel Haifa
Roni Levy
Masai Dago