Maccabi Haifa's preseason has taken a grim turn. Goalkeeper Sharif Kayouf tore his Achilles tendon in Tuesday's friendly against Hapoel Kfar Saba, a match Haifa lost heavily, 5-0, according to Sport5.
Kayouf needed assistance from the club's medical staff to leave the field after going down, and the initial fears were confirmed by an MRI scan showing a full tendon rupture, Sport5 reported. He will now require surgery and is expected to miss the entire season before a competitive ball has even been kicked.
The injury lands at an awkward moment for the 25-year-old. Sport5 reports he had spent several weeks waiting for Maccabi Haifa's clearance to join Hapoel Ramat Gan, a move now thrown into doubt by the severity of the injury.
Kayouf was not the only casualty of the friendly. Brazilian defender Pedrão also picked up a knock during the first half and was withdrawn, replaced by Eder Gaitán, per the same report.
Kayouf, from the Druze town of Isfiya, has been part of Maccabi Haifa's setup since signing his first professional contract with the club in 2019, working his way up through loan spells at Hapoel Kfar Shalem and Hapoel Afula before establishing himself as a squad goalkeeper in the Israeli Premier League. He has also represented Israel at youth level through the U21s.
With Kayouf sidelined long-term, Haifa will need to sort out its goalkeeping options before the competitive season begins — one more problem to manage after a lopsided defeat in a match that was supposed to be about building form, not losing personnel.
