In the chaos of the Corona virus in Israeli football, a historic rise to the Euros could make fans smile • The road there will start tomorrow, when the team will step on the grass in Hampden Park and meet Scotland in the playoff semi-finals
Last March was supposed to be the highlight of the Israeli national team.
A moment when the players in blue and white step onto the lawn in Hampden Park in front of 52,000 enthusiastic Scots and begin a 180-minute journey that may put them on the pages of history with a first ascent to the Euros.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Israeli football.
But that same month, the corona virus broke out in our lives and delayed the game.
The world has changed, and seven months later this one-time opportunity returns under improved conditions, because this time the game (tomorrow, 21:45) will be held without an audience.
Fate wished, and the general rehearsal for the critical encounter with the Scots took place about a month ago as part of the League of Nations of the World Cup.
The ability displayed by the Israeli team there made us feel that victory and qualification for the playoff final, the promotion to Euro 2020 is definitely within reach.
In a 1-1 draw in the game in question, the hosts opened with three brakes, in the right brake position wasted their best contact (Scott McTominy) played with a strong but technically limited striker (Lyndon Dykes), and presented a weak and uninspired game.
Steve Clark, a greyish and uncharismatic coach who has spent most of his career serving as an assistant (including Abram Grant's at Chelsea), suffers from a very unbalanced squad.
It will be interesting to see if he continues with a set of three brakes even when James Forrest is injured, and especially after two unconvincing appearances in the League of Nations (the Scots scraped a victory against the Czech third team).
On the other hand, the Scottish squad has top Premier League players like Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney and John McGuinn who scored against Liverpool in Aston Villa's outstanding performance last Sunday.
On a given day, these players can also cover up the uninspired tactics of the team.
Clark. Trying to take advantage of his charisma // Photo: Reuters
Weaknesses, and gold that is always here
And what about Israel?
Willy Rotensteiner will continue with a 2: 3: 5 formation that will be based on a front trio of aces - Solomon, Dabour and especially Zehavi, who in his first two games at PSV Eindhoven showed that he is in excellent shape with a goal and two assists.
The team will be missing Dor Peretz, an anchor in the squad since the Austrian team arrived, but Eyal Golsa replaced him no less well and even better than Peretz.
He will help Natcho with the defensive work and help with the brakes, and will also allow more offensive freedom for Solomon, who is positioned as a central midfielder in this lineup.
Taleb Twataha’s downside is much more significant, and will likely hurt the attacking game.
San Menachem, and especially Solomon who can escape a lot to the left wing, will have to cover for his absence, certainly considering that this is the relatively weak wing in the Scottish defense.
The problems of the team will be as usual in defense.
Since the start of the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, the team has absorbed every game except the game in Latvia (a team that did not score against Andorra about a month ago).
To get past the Scots, the team will have to rise defensively and display maximum concentration for 90 minutes, especially in stationary situations - our weak point, which is also the power point of the Scots.
Twataha. Significant disadvantage // Photo: Reuters
We have nothing to lean on
The situation of the country in general and Israeli football cannot be ignored.
A country that is struggling to cope with the consequences of the corona virus and citizens who are in the midst of a general closure that it is unclear when and how it will end and anxious for their livelihood.
Local football has also been hit hard by the political-health chaos, due to the decision not to allow teams to train.
This move severely damages team sports and puts Israeli football on the brink of collapse.
At a time when people at home are looking for escapism and what to lean on, the success of the team can be the best thing that has happened to our football in the last 50 years and will make it the consensus that the people so desperately need.
Success for all of us.
