Herzog to bow out after gkWb_Ó[hi
ANDI Herzog is expected to step down as manager of the Israel national team at the end of the European 2020 qualifying campaign.
The Austrian has told IFA officials his decision is based on personal reasons and he could part company as early as next month. “It is difficult to live away from my children,” he told reporters in Israel.
On the pitch, Israel bounced back from a 3-1 defeat in Austria last week with a 3-1 win over Group G whipping boys Latvia on Tuesday night.
Goals from Munas Dabbur (2) and Eran Zahavi secured a deserved victory and kept alive Israel’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s finals.
The first-half strikes from Dabbur and Zahavi had put Israel in charge. However, their porous defence was left hopelessly exposed on 40 minutes as an unmarked Vladimir Kamess pulled one back. Dabbur restored Israel’s twogoal advantage minutes later, before an uneventful second half.
Israel captain Bibras Natkho said: “We could have scored a lot more goals but the main thing was that we did the job and secured the points.”
Zahavi, who scored a stunning 25-yard strike in the defeat in Austria has scored 11 goals in the qualifying tournament. He is the top-scorer — two ahead of Artem Dzyuba of Russia and three ahead of England’s Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling.
Israel finishes the qualifying campaign with matches at home to Poland and away to North Macedonia next month. They currently sit in fifth position in Group G, tied on 11 points with Slovenia and North Macedonia, but two victories may still not be enough to guarantee a playoff spot. (below) contemplates his future