Itzik towards |
MS Ashdod players are disappointed (Shahar Gross)
After the disappointing loss in the last round 2:0 at the YA Stadium to Beitar Jerusalem, Ashdod Sport Club wants to avoid a second consecutive loss, but tomorrow (Saturday, 17:00) the toughest game in the league awaits them. Ran Ben Shimon’s team will host Sami Ofer at the champion, Maccabi Haifa, hoping to give a much better performance than last year’s performance, which ended in a painful sixth.
“To come out with points from Sami Ofer, everyone including everyone will have to be at their peak,” they said in the port city, “everyone remembers what happened at Sami Ofer the last time we played against Maccabi Haifa. We don’t buy that they will come tired. They have a sufficiently good and deep squad and we are preparing for one of the most difficult games of the season. If we make mistakes, we will be punished immediately and that is our mission. A good game tomorrow can be a turning point in the maturity of the players.”
The team will be missing first and foremost the Brazilian midfielder Lucas Salinas, who tore his cruciate ligament in the last game against Beitar Jerusalem and in fact ended the season. Yaakov Barihon, who was injured yesterday in the final training session and will miss the match at Sami Ofer.
At exactly the right moment, the defender Timothy Avani, who was not included in the squad against Beitar Jerusalem, will return. The defender will return to the center of the defense, with Ben Shimon returning to his usual formation of three defenders, along with Nenad Savatkovich and Gil Cohen. Samuel Alabi is expected to return to the lineup in place of Lucas Salinas, who is by his side Naor Sebag, Oz Bilo may also start in the lineup, as well as Ebenezer Mamata and Hamodi Kanaan.
Estimated composition: Yoav Graffi, Zohar Zasano (Ben Zaken), Timothy Avani, Nenad Stabkovich, Gil Cohen, David Kuperman, Samuel Alabi, Naor Sebag, Oz Bilo, Muhammad Canaan, Ebenezer Mamata.
