WE CAN END SCOTS JINX
ANDREAS HERZOG has challenged his players to rewrite the history books by ending Israeli sides’ horror run in Scotland to secure a Nations League play-off place.
Israeli teams have lost all seven games on Scottish soil at both club and international level with an aggregate score of 22-5.
The national side lost a World Cup qualifier 3-1 at Hampden in 1981 with Hapoel Tel Aviv beaten by both Old Firm sides while Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Haifa lost to Rangers and Hapoel Beer Sheva to Celtic.
But Herzog, whose side warmed up for their trip to Glasgow with a 7-0 friendly thumping of Guatemala, has told his team to forget about past results as he targets the point they need to top Group C1.
The 50-year-old – who won the last of his 103 Austrian caps in a 2-0 Hampden win – said: “Scottish teams have a good history against Israeli sides but I don’t care about the past. We BY GAVIN BERRY need to be ready at kick-off. We know it’s a great chance for us.
“We are in first place and want to stay there. We have to give the Scottish team a real battle. That is the key.
“We expect them to put pressure on us from the start and we have to be calm and smart.
“Scotland have great confidence after their win over Albania but so do we, so expect a good game.”
Alex McLeish’s 3-5-2 formation was blamed for Scotland’s 2-1 loss in Haifa when the sides last met but he switched to a back four for the thumping win in Albania.
Herzog said: “It is a different challenge for us. The two wingers are really dangerous but every formation has weaknesses and we have to take care of them.”
Olympiakos midfielder and Israel captain Bibras Natcho added: “We are not in a position to think we are favourites. We are not looking down on Scotland at all.”