Euro 2012: Israel vs Malta Preview

September 1st, 2010 | by: Ibracadabra | Comments Off

Here we go. A new “major competition” qualifying campaign for Israel – that “almost there” team in Europe.

Israel takes on Malta in the first Euro 2012 Qualifying match of the weekend on Thursday evening in Tel Aviv and manager Luis Fernandez has brought in a “new, hungry squad” for the Malta clash…

Fernandez’s predecessors Dror Kashtan and Avram Grant failed to qualify for a Euro Championship or a World Cup (Israel haven’t qualified for a major competition since 1970), but the match against Malta should be straightforward and most pundits expect a victory for the home team.

Israel will be led, as usual by Captain Yossi Benayoun and goalkeeper Dudu Aouate – the country’s two shining stars. Tal Ben Haim should start at CB despite not being able to get a game under Avram Grant at West Ham. I expect Tamir Cohen and/or Biram Kayal to hold down a central midfield position, with the likes of the in-form Gili Vermuth a possible inclusion in the attacking midfielder role. Blackpool’s Dekel Keinan is quality and should start alongside Ben Haim at the back.

Ben Sahar will look to make the difference up front after finally catching on with Champions League qualifiers Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Malta captain Michael Mifsud has an added incentive to play well in tomorrow’s match as two of Israel’s leading clubs will be keeping a very close eye on his performance. According to some sources, talent evaluators from Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa will be at the Ramat Gan Stadium to scout Mifsud – and the tiny striker – a former star in England – has extra incentive to perform.

Israeli football is on a high after Hapoel Tel Aviv qualified for The Champions League group stages and Biram Kayal moved to Celtic. A 3 or 4 goal win against Malta would continue that high. A 1 or 2 goal win, or a surprising draw or loss would send the Israeli football media charging for Fernandez’s head.

Expect an attacking performance from the Israelis and a 3-1 or 4-1 win.

Israel squad for match against Malta w/ predicted standout performers in bold:

Goalkeepers
1 GK Dudu Aouate
26 GK Ohad Levita
18 GK David Goresh

Defenders
2 DF Gal Shish
3 DF Tal Ben Haim
4 DF Dani Bondar
13 DF Dekel Keinan
14 DF Yoav Ziv
19 DF Dedi Ben Dayan

Midfielders
5 MF Tamir Cohen
6 MF Avihai Yadin
7 MF Biram Kayal
8 MF Gil Vermuth
10 MF Lior Rafaelov
12 MF Maor Melikson
15 MF Yossi Benayoun
16 MF Eran Zahavi
20 MF Almog Cohen
22 MF Eyal Golasa

Forwards
9 FW Itay Shechter
11 FW Shlomi Arbeitman
17 FW Ben Sahar
21 FW Yuval Avidor