Bnei Sakhnin will host Hapoel Haifa tonight (Saturday) with a missing squad. Hassan Hilo is suffering from a hamstring strain and will be absent, as well as captain Maron Gantos, who has returned to training, but is still suffering from ankle pain and the professional staff are not interested in his risk. Following the absence of both stoppers, Itai Ben Hamo, on loan from Maccabi Tel Aviv, will get a second chance in the league lineup alongside Konstantinos Sotirio.
The list of Sakhnin’s absentees also includes Mohamed Shekar Motzhav and Ilai Almakais, who returned to partial training this week, but continues to suffer from a quadriceps muscle injury. The team’s top scorer Dor Hogi, who started the game against Maccabi Tel Aviv on the bench, will return to the 11 alongside Zahi Ahmed and Claudio Spinelli.
The club fears that the proximity of the game to the Ramadan fast-breaking meal will lead to only hundreds of fans arriving in Doha tonight.
Meanwhile, in the coach sector as we published, there are quite large gaps between Slobodan Drapić and the club. However, Sakhnin estimates that the coach will be flexible in his requirements due to the lack of offers from other clubs, and will prefer to start the season on the lines.
Estimated composition: Muhammad Abu Nil; Ovadia Darvish, Itai Ben Hamo, Constantinos Sotirio, Rotem Keller; Stephen Umaunga, Sahar Taji, Adrian Fawn; Zahi Ahmed, Dor Hugi, Claudio Spinelli.