Back in July, Maccabi Haifa’s preseason looked like a warning sign of another difficult campaign ahead. A Toto Cup derby against city rival Hapoel Haifa exposed shortcomings in almost every facet of the Greens’ game. In attack, defense and transition, Barak Bachar’s team appeared a step behind its opponents, with the two sides looking worlds apart.
The criticism came quickly. Fans and media questioned Bachar’s approach and wondered whether his revamped squad would look much like the disappointing team that had struggled the previous season. A 3-2 derby defeat was followed by an even more damaging 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Ironi Kiryat Shmona, sending alarm bells ringing throughout the club.
A 1-0 loss to Hapoel Jerusalem in a Toto Cup placement match brought the preseason campaign to a close, leaving little reason for optimism. When the league season began, Haifa hardly offered an immediate response, scraping past newly promoted Hapoel Ramat Gan before suffering a heavy defeat to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Yet the picture has changed dramatically in the weeks since.
The Greens have put together a run of victories that has transformed the mood around the club, highlighted by an impressive 4-2 win over Hapoel Jerusalem and a comeback 2-1 triumph over newly promoted Maccabi Petah Tikva at the Moshava Stadium last week. The results have propelled Haifa into the thick of the championship race, with the team sitting second in the table, just one point behind Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Hapoel Beersheba awaits in a couple of weeks, offering Bachar’s men another significant test, but the early-season concerns have given way to renewed belief. Whatever the outcome of that showdown, one thing is already clear: This is a very different Maccabi Haifa from the side that looked so disjointed just a few months ago.
So, what changed?
Patience and performance
The answer lies partly in patience. With numerous new arrivals, including several foreign players, Haifa needed time to develop chemistry, establish an identity, and turn a collection of talented individuals into a cohesive unit. The early results suggested that process would be more difficult than anticipated, but the pieces are gradually falling into place.
“Winning is always enjoyable,” Bachar said. “When the performance is good, it’s even better. We brought some of the pressure on ourselves with our poor results. We knew things could change if we worked quietly and ignored the pressure around us. We did that gradually, and now we’re looking better.
“We’re still not drawing conclusions, just as we didn’t after the Toto Cup, because we’ve played only six matches.”
While Bachar has been careful not to get carried away, several of his attacking players have given the Greens plenty of reason for optimism. Three, in particular, have helped transform the team’s fortunes.
Bruninho made an immediate impression upon arriving in Haifa, bringing creativity, technical ability and an eye for goal to the attacking midfield. The Brazilian has quickly become a central figure in the Greens’ offensive play, contributing directly to the majority of their goals through his own finishing and his ability to create opportunities for teammates.
His three goals and five assists tell only part of the story. Bruninho has also played a role in several scoring moves that do not appear on the stat sheet, giving Haifa a creative presence capable of unlocking defenses and connecting its attacking pieces.
The arrival of Portuguese winger Pedro Brazao in September has added another dimension. In just four appearances, Brazao has recorded two goals and two assists, providing the kind of pace, flair and individual quality that can change a match in an instant.
His recent performance against Hapoel Jerusalem offered a glimpse of his potential. Brazao weaved past defenders, rounded the goalkeeper and calmly finished with the outside of his foot, producing a spectacular solo effort that could contend for goal of the season.
It was the sort of moment Haifa had been missing during its difficult opening weeks: an individual act of brilliance that not only settled a game but also demonstrated the attacking talent at Bachar’s disposal.
Then there is Andrija Novakovich, whose contribution has given the Greens a focal point they have lacked in recent seasons.
The 30-year-old American international of Serbian descent has scored four goals and provided an assist over the past five matches, all of which he has started. Standing 1.92 meters tall, the Wisconsin native offers a physical presence that makes him a threat in the air while also possessing the finishing ability and awareness to bring teammates into play.
Novakovich is more than a traditional target man. His movement, hold-up play, and ability to link the midfield with the attack have helped Haifa become a more balanced and unpredictable offensive side. Rather than relying exclusively on individual moments from its creative players, the team now has a striker capable of bringing those talents together.
His performances have also silenced some of the early doubters who questioned whether he could make a meaningful impact after his most recent spell in Italy. With his confidence growing and his place in the starting lineup increasingly secure, Novakovich is on course to surpass several personal bests this season.
Bachar has been particularly impressed by the striker’s contribution to the team as a whole.
“The first thing we saw when we brought him in was that he’s a team player who connects the play,” the coach explained. “Beyond his goal against Jerusalem, he set up the move for Bruninho, who assisted on Brazao’s marker, and he was also involved in the third goal. Beyond the goals, he brings a great deal of presence and contributes to the team’s collective play.”
Together, Bruninho, Brazao and Novakovich have helped elevate Haifa’s attack in a remarkably short period. Their complementary qualities give Bachar a creative playmaker, a winger capable of beating defenders one-on-one and a striker who can finish chances while involving others. The combination has made the Greens considerably more dangerous and much harder to contain.
There is, however, still work to be done at the other end of the pitch.
While the attack has begun to click, Haifa’s defense remains a work in progress. Tsunami and Nigel Lonwijk are still adjusting to their new surroundings, with the former left out of the starting lineup against Hapoel Jerusalem. Jelle Bataille has also struggled to reach his best level, leaving questions about the stability of the back line.
Those concerns help explain why Haifa moved aggressively to secure the signature of Eli Dasa. In a late transfer move, the Greens landed the Israel national team captain after beating out Hapoel Beersheba, which had come close to completing a deal for the right-back.
Dasa brings experience and quality, but his value extends beyond what he can offer on the field. As a seasoned international, he is accustomed to performing under pressure and understands the demands of competing at the highest level. His leadership and professionalism could prove particularly important in a squad containing several players still learning to play together.
For Bachar, Dasa represents both a defensive reinforcement and a trusted lieutenant who can help establish standards throughout the dressing room.
“He has the complete package in terms of leadership and an exceptional personality,” Bachar said. “We’ve seen that with the national team and abroad. He’s a professional at the highest level. From a physical standpoint, the national team saw that he was good enough even without being part of a club. For us, he’s a terrific addition.”
If Dasa can help bring greater organization and consistency to the defense, Haifa could become an even more formidable opponent. The attacking quality is increasingly evident, but championship challenges are rarely sustained on goals alone. Bachar will need his side to find the same cohesion at the back that it has begun to display going forward.
For now, though, the broader message is unmistakable: Writing off Maccabi Haifa after its preseason struggles would have been premature.
The Greens have rediscovered their confidence, their new attacking players are beginning to deliver, and the team is showing signs of developing into the kind of cohesive unit expected of a club with championship ambitions. The results have followed, turning an atmosphere of uncertainty into one of genuine excitement.
Bachar, however, remains determined to keep expectations in check. He knows that a strong run of form is only the beginning of a long campaign, and that there is still plenty of room for improvement.
“Ultimately, the results speak for themselves. When the team plays good, high-quality football, it means the recruitment has been good,” he said.
'Our aim is first place'
“I feel we have a good team that is aiming high, and we’re in the middle of a process. Talking about the championship is still a long way off. We have a journey ahead of us, and we’re only at the beginning. As we strengthen the team and improve, we won’t be afraid to talk about the highest ambitions.
“Our aim is first place. That’s our goal.”
Those are ambitious words from a coach whose team looked anything but a title contender in July. But the recent performances suggest that Haifa may finally be finding the right formula. The attack has gained a new dimension, the squad is developing greater chemistry, and Dasa’s arrival offers hope of greater stability in defense.
There will inevitably be more challenges ahead, beginning with a demanding stretch of league fixtures, and the Greens must prove they can sustain their progress over an entire season. Their defensive vulnerabilities have not disappeared, and six matches are too few to draw definitive conclusions about the championship race.
Still, the transformation has been striking. A preseason that left supporters questioning the direction of the club has given way to a team playing with confidence, purpose and growing belief in its own ability.
Maccabi Haifa is not ready to declare itself champion just yet. But after a difficult start, the Greens are once again looking like a team capable of challenging for the biggest prize in Israeli soccer.
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