The Green came to the game after a win over Hapoel Ra'anana last week. Roni Levy's protégés wanted to maintain the positive momentum from last week and come out with a win in order to put the disappointing season opening behind them. Coach Roni Levy has made several changes in the starting lineup by placing Sun Menachem at the left defender position, in place of Taleb Tawatha, who got injured. In addition, Jabber Atta replaced Avishay Yadin, who also was unfit and Hen Ezra was placed in place of Eliran Attar, who suffered from fever, the striker was examined at the hotel and consequentially freed from the starting lineup. 

The Greens before the opening whistle. Photo: Maccabi Haifa Official Site (Joe Hirsch)

The first half   was initially mainly played in center field, the players of both teams tried to reach scoring positions, yet the defenses were able to tackle these attempts. The first opportunity showed itself 24minutes into the game, when Kiryat Shmone found itself inside the box with Or Ostoind passing a cross ball that found Ido Exbard, who from a close distance kicked the ball into the hands of Vladimir Stojkovi?. Later, Ostoind tried again with a strong shot 20 meters away from the goal line that found Stoika available, the green goalkeeper sent this risky shot to the corner line. Until halftime no further incidents were recorded and 45 minutes into the match referee Roy Reinschriber sounded his whistle and sent both two teams to the dressing rooms. 

The Second half   opened with a substitution by the home team, sending Ido Exbard off and bringing in Bruno Konya to replace him. The Greens opened the second half more determined and already in the opening minutes one could see the pressure exerted by its players at Kiryat Shmone's part of the pitch. 64 minutes into the game Roni Levy made his first substitution and brought in Dutch striker Glynor Plet in place of Shoval Gozlan. 74 minutes into the game the Greens reached a dangerous scoring situation with Glynor Plet passing a great ball to Yossi Benayoun, the Green captain, who passed Guy Haimov and tried to roll the ball into the net, yet Cassio Fernandes sent it away to the corner line. 78 minutes into the game the home team was able to take the lead after Eden Shamir passed the ball across the goal line and put Hapoel Kiryat Shmone in the lead. Immediately after the goal, Levy brought in Alon Turgeman in place of Jabber Atta later also Itai Schechter in place of Yossi Benayoun. Schechter played a total of three minutes before being presented with the red card that left Haifa with ten players. Two minutes into extra time Ophir Mizrachi doubled the lead for Hapoel Kiryat Shmone after finding himself alone against Stojkovi? and scored. 5 minutes into overtime the referee blown its whistled to end the game, thus setting another loss team for the team from the Carmel.  

A good opportunity for the green Captain. Photo: Maccabi Haifa Official Site (Joe Hirsch)

Coach Roni Levy was interviewed after the game and referred to the disappointing loss: "We must know how to deal with difficult moments, when you're behind in Kiryat Shmone then it's definitely hard, Maccabi Haifa is in a rather bad situation and the pressure on the players is great, the players really wanted." The coach went on to say: "We work very hard and try although it is difficult to see that on the pitch. The players work very well in practice, we set out on a very difficult away game, we were in the game and had a chance to win. There is a lot of work and a lot of things needed to be fixed but everything would come from team-play and the strength of this club. Of course, being together in difficult moments, we must unite and in football things do not happen in one day. Maccabi Haifa has a very good team and a very strong club and we will overcome this difficult crisis. "

Dutch striker Glynor Plet was brought in during the second half. Photo: Joe Hirsch.