The Israeli national team dreamed of doing good for the citizens of the country during the difficult days we are going through, but surrendered 2:1 to Romania tonight (Saturday) and lost a chance to qualify for Euro 2024 through the group stage and will wait until March to try to fulfill that dream through the playoffs.
Israel national team coach Alon Hazan said after the game: "Of course I feel a huge disappointment, in order to take games like this you have to be more focused and responsible and we didn't do that. Instead of making it 0-2 in our dominant minutes we lost concentration a bit, smartened up with the ball a bit and gave them chances. They succeeded in transition attacks, we had to win, we went forward and paid a price. We have another opportunity in March, hopefully we will do it there. The players did, tried, there is nothing to lower their heads. We will try to do it vigorously."
Hazan, tonight, photo: AP
Eran Zahavi, who scored Israel's only goal of the game, summed up from his side and added: "Everything was according to all our dreams - a crazy opening, we could have scored the second one, but suddenly we got a goal, we went into pressure, we lost focus and we paid dearly. It hurts. We tried to give everything, a lot of players haven't played lately, we don't play at home, there were things that affected us and decisive. We do not give up, we will try to do it vigorously, until the last second. I have one last chance, and we'll do it. The table doesn't lie, I hope we meet in the Euros.
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On the crowd that came to Hungary to support him and his teammates: "This is the most exciting day I've had with the national team. I promised a boy named Ariel that his entire family had been murdered that I would dedicate the gate to him and his family. We didn't win, but that was the biggest victory for me. I wanted him to stand here with me in the interview after the victory, and unfortunately that didn't happen, but we will do it. I hope the situation in the country will be better and we will be able to host in our home with our audience. We wanted so much to delight the crowd that came today. It pains me that it didn't happen, but we gave everything. We fought until the last second."
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