A fateful week.
The Israeli handball team is completing its final preparations for the pair of meetings against the Hungarian team tomorrow (Wednesday, 19:00, Heichal Shlomo in Tel Aviv) and on the reciprocal Saturday in Tatabania, Hungary, in a direct battle for the ticket to next year's World Championships in Sweden and Poland.
After qualifying from the first stage of the tournament in Romania, and the pair of victories against Lithuania - the challenge facing the team in the playoffs for promotion to the final tournament is in the form of a team that has been on the world top for many years.
The hope is of course to create a splash and make history, when Israel has never managed to qualify for the prestigious final tournament.
At the European Championships, she participated only once in 2002, then finished in 14th place.
Israel national handball team.
Will there be a splash ?, Photo: Oren Aharoni
The day after the first game in Tel Aviv, the team will take off for Hungary, where it will hold Seder night and a connection has already been established with the Chabad House and the Jewish community in Budapest to assist in its organization.
"It's definitely a dream of everyone to get to a tournament like a world championship, and participate in it."
Oleg Botenko, coach of the Israeli national team, said.
"There is no doubt that we have got a world-class team, top 10 in the world, and on the face of it - this seems like an impossible task, but we athletes and in sports never say no. We will try to do everything necessary in the best way. If that is enough to beat Hungary It will be a big dream come true - also in the form of a splash in world handball. "
Oleg Botenko, Photo: Oren Aharoni
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