Israel National Soccer Team off to Scotland for first chance at Euros
The Israel National Soccer Team arguably has their most important match in years coming up on Tuesday when they visit Scotland in the UEFA Nations League. The contest at Hampden Park will be critical in more ways than one for National Team technical director Willi Ruttensteiner and head coach Andi Herzog, as they attempt to take home first place in their League C Group.
A first-place finish will ensure a place in the UEFA European Championship playoff that is set to take place in March of 2020 after the regular qualifying tournament ends, as a last chance to get into the big summer competition for those who haven’t yet qualified.
It’s clear that Ruttensteiner and Herzog have their sights set on exactly this, as they know full well that the Nations League is the best chance for the blueand-white to enter the Euros for the first time in the country’s history. When the draw for the regular qualifying track will take place, Israel will be forced to face some of the most well-known football powers such as Spain, Germany, England and Croatia – similar to the teams they played in the last World Cup qualifying campaign when they had almost zero chance of playing in Russia.
Last time around, Israel had to contend with the likes of Spain and Italy – and the time before that they had the privilege of playing Belgium, Wales and Bosnia. In the current set up, all Israel has to do is finish in first place in a group with Albania and Scotland and then play similar countries in a semifinal, and hopefully the final, to earn a coveted place in the 24-country tournament that will be played in 12 cities across the continent.
Some of the potential countries to enter the playoff round in March of 2020 are Finland, Norway, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro. While these nations may not be heavyweights by any stretch of the imagination, all of these teams are ranked above Israel. However, Herzog and Ruttensteiner are well aware that none of them are impossible to beat in a one-off contest.
It sounds easy, but of course it’s not that simple. A trip to Scotland is never an easy feat while playing at Hampden Park is of course easier said than done. Scotland’s first match at the famed facility was held on March 2, 1878, in a game that saw the host demolish England 7-2. They have an all-time record of 137 wins, 61 draws and 61 losses when playing in the stadium. However, since the start of the new century, Scotland has a record of 25 wins, 16 draws and 20 losses including two defeats this past year. An Israel victory is certainly not an impossible task.
PRIOR TO Israel’s 2-1 win over Scotland in October at Sammy Ofer Stadium, the countries had played each other three times, with Scotland coming out on top in all three encounters. Only one of those matches was played in Hampden Park: a 3-1 loss thanks to a pair of penalties by John Robertson and a lone marker by David Provan, while Israel’s goal was scored by Moshe Sinai. The squad was coached by legendary Celtic player and manager Jock Stein and featured the likes of Graeme Souness, Alex Mcleish and Steve Archibald.
Benny Tabak, who played as a striker for Israel in that match back on April 28, 1981, remembers the contest: “We couldn’t get past the midfield. Scotland pressed us from the beginning to the end of the match and Robertson was just fantastic. They were a National Team with a lot of quality in a stadium that was a pressure cooker.”
Veteran journalist Asher Goldberg also looked back at the match as well, “I remember it like it was yesterday. There were over 60,000 fans packed into Hampden Park and the famed “Hampden Roar” could be heard for miles and miles away. The fan noise after the goals was deafening and created a very intimidating atmosphere for any visiting team that played there.”
However, Israel National Team Captain Bibras Natcho looks toward his team’s experience and poise as they head to Scotland. “We are an experienced National Team that has faced this type of atmosphere as a visiting team before. I believe we can handle the situation, and we have to know how to handle the situation.”
Israel has a chance to take the next step in blue-andwhite footballing history and punch their ticket to the UEFA Nations League playoffs. Will they be able to do that under the direction of Andi Herzog? Natcho certainly believes so. “I don’t remember the last time that we played a National Team match for all the marbles. It’s a great opportunity... I think the players have enough experience with the National Team and we’re ready to play as a unit. It’s a match that’s coming at a good time for us as a team.”
As they say, time will tell – but make sure to watch Israel play Scotland on Tuesday, November 20 at 21:45 Israel time to find out. This is a chance of a lifetime. EL, EL, ISRAEL!
Joshua Halickman, the Sports Rabbi, covers Israeli sports and organizes Israel Sports Adventures for tourists and residents http://sportsrabbi.com/
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