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Thursday, August 29, 2013

Haifa face Astra in 2nd leg of Europa League play-off tie, will attempt to finish the Romanians off and Advance to group-stage

Football:
Macccabi Haifa are just 90 minutes away from reaching Europe's secondary competition's group stage for just the 3rd time in the club's history. The only obstacle that stands in their way is Romanian side Astra Giurgiu who will host Haifa tonight (at 19:00) in the 2nd leg of their UEFA Europa League play-off tie. But Haifa won't worry too much as they go into the game with a two goal cushion, having won the 1st leg 2-0 in Kiryat Eliezer Stadium.
Benado and Katan at the press-conerence last night (m haifa)
 "I have been following Astra since we were first drawn against them", said Haifa's manager Arik Benado in a press conference last night, "They haven't played so well in their last two games, but are still a excellent side. We will do all we can to advance. We have not come here to play a defensive game, we will play in our normal style. The pitch is very wet and the rain isn't stopping any time soon, so it looks like we won't see any "great football" tonight, but we will till try our very best to win".
Also present at the press conference was Haifa's legendary captain Yaniv Katan who expressed how he felt ahead of the game. "The way we have played since the beginning of the season is the way Arik believes in", said Katan, "The players are mentally prepared, it is not easy to win away, but we will try our best to advance to the next round". Around 300 Haifa fans are expected to turn up at the Ceahlaul Stadium in Piatra Neamt to cheer their team into the group-stage. The game isn't being played in Astra's usual home stadium due to it being "ineligible" according to UEFA regulations.
Despite what Benado and Katan said, their is a slight chance that Haifa will go easy in attack and rest their usual front-man, Shimon Abuhatzira, and put South African striker, Dino Ndlovu - who played very impressively in the 1st leg after coming off the bench in the second half - upfront instead.
Haifa's expected lineup:
GK: Bojan Saronov, DF: Eyal Meshumar, Dekel Keinan, Taleb Twatiha, Edin Cocalic, MF: Gustavo Boccoli, Yaniv Katan (captain), Ruben Rayos, Hen Ezra, Alon Turgeman, FW: Shimon Abuhatzira (or Dino Ndlovu).

(The game will be broadcast live on the ONE sports channel from 19:00)


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