Ruttensteiner
This is a win-or-bust game for Israel
Israel manager Willi Ruttensteiner has admitted it’s win or bust for his side’s World Cup qualifying hopes when they face Scotland tonight.
The hosts meet Scotland in front of 5,000 fans in Tel Aviv after they suffered a disappointing 2-0 opening game loss to Denmark, while Scotland and Austria were battling out a 2-2 draw at Hampden.
And Austrian coach Ruttensteiner admits his side will be all but out of the World Cup if Steve Clarke’s men pick up the three points from the tie.
He said: “The aim has to be to win and if we can’t do that, then a point at the very least.
“If we lose, we have to be realistic and accept that even at this stage it will be extremely difficult to recover from the first two games.
“Two defeats at the start of qualifying would be disastrous for us.
Meanwhile, Israel has called up former Celtic star Beram Kayal to replace current Hoops player Nir Bitton, who was sent home after tearing a groin muscle.
Kayal, who now plays for Bnei Sakhnin, hasn’t played for his country since November 2019, but the 32-year-old could make his return against the Scots tonight.
Meanwhile, Scotland are the only nation in their Euro 2020 group still to arrange any pre-tournament friendlies after opening game opponents Czech Republic confirmed their preparations for the tournament would include a game against Italy in Bologna.
Steve Clarke’s side will play the Czechs in their opening European Championships fixture in Glasgow on June 14, before travelling to Wembley to play England and playing their last group game against Croatia at Hampden.
But, remarkably, they are the only nation in the group not to have confirmed plans yet for pre-tournament friendlies.
And the Czechs have now confirmed their plans for the build-up to Euro 2020 after revealing they will face the Azzurri on June 4, before entertaining Albania in Prague six days before they face the Scots.
They have also previously confirmed they will be a training camp in the north of Italy in the weeks leading up to the Finals.
Auld Enemy rivals England will play two friendlies ahead of the tournament – against Austria on June 2 and Romania four days later.
Croatia will play Armenia on June 1 in Osijek before travelling to Brussels to face the FIFA Rankings No. 1 nation, Belgium, in a testing friendly on June 6, before they start their tournament with a game against England at Wembley on June 13.