Since Hapoel Hadera was promoted to the Premier League, it has developed a rivalry with Maccabi Netanya and tonight the two will meet for the “Sharon Derby”. Even before that, a match between the youth teams of the clubs will be held at the stadium in Netanya. Hadera is alert: “This is a day that could go down in the history of the club. A lot of prestige is at stake.”
If that is not enough, the coach of Maccabi Netanya, Ran Kozhuk, served as Menachem Koretsky’s assistant at Hapoel Hadera and now they meet on the lines. A difficult week passed for Hapoel Hadera when the team was informed that Jonathan Sisa would be absent in the coming weeks, Robbie Levkovic did not train regularly and Stav Nachmani is also in doubt.
Levkovic is expected to play with a shot, while Nachmani will pass an eligibility test. If he is not fit, it will be Steven Alfred who will receive the jersey of the team, for the first time since the game against Beitar Jerusalem in which he was injured. Sissa’s absence gives Koretzky a headache in the center of the defense, as the fourth stopper Tarek Boshank was sent off in the last game. Menashe Zalka is expected to start in the center of the defense.
The one who is expected to make his debut in the lineup is Albert Ayofi, the back midfielder, alongside Ruslan Barsky and Saar Fedida. Sami Burrard, who recovered from the blow he received in the head against Bnei Sakhnin Yeftah.
In Hadera they said: “Netanya is a good team, they have excellent tools in the front. We got slapped against Bnei Sakhnin, but we prepared well for this game and hope to return to the winning track.” Seven points separate the teams with nine more points left in the pot until the playoffs. In Hadera they still dream of the top playoffs.
Estimated composition: Ruby Levkovic (Guy Herman); Dia Lavabidi, Menashe Zalka, Philip Ipola, Ido Levy, Kalman Sturm; Albert Ayofi, Ruslan Barsky, Sa’ar Padida; Sami Burrard and Stav Nachmani (Steven Alfred).