This is the offical thread for this match. Here are my preliminary thoughts: If we can win SUI or come away with a tie, I do not belive it is outside the realm of posibility or for the Faroes to allow ISR to win the game. Im not saying a 7-1 win, perhaps I am asking for a good will gesture. Play the game all the way through, and if by some chance it is a tie or a loss than in the final 5-10 minutes of the game FRO should allow us to score. They have no chance at the WC and we may if we tie/win SUI.
If Israel can't win both games against the Faroe Islands without the games being thrown then Israel doesn't deserve to make the World Cup.
I assume this is joke. Of course, these sort of things are known to happen, especially in the Israeli leagues when relegation is at stake... I can't believe you are starting this thread just before the biggest match in qualifying. I hope the players and coaches aren't looking past Switzerland like you are.
Well now that we are past the Swiss we can talk about Faroe. I am very nervous about these matches. Even though they only have 1 point, they played some close matches. Ireland beat them 2-0 with both goals in the second half, Swiss beat them in Faroe 3-1 but it was tight until the end, in fact they were tied with 20 minutes left. After so many disapointing results over the years such as losing in Cyprus and the Austria fiasco I am in fear of another let down. we dont just need to win, we need to win by 4 or 5 goals each match because our goal differential is +2 while everybody else is +7 or 8. Well we need to have Tikvah! Harbeh Tikvah!
Tidbits Oh the pain. Had we won against the Swiss, I was planning to go with some others to the Faroe Islands for this qualifier. I am kind of glad that I didn't go in the end because I heard that there are no quality places to sleep in the Faroes. Pini Balili is back for this game. Dudu Awat is back in Spain. Anyone know if any of the players that were carded against the Swiss are banned from playing this next match? The match will be broadcast live in Israel on Israel 1 and live in the United States of America on the Israeli network. Nobody should take this match too lightly. Don't forget that Israel once drew 1-1 with the Faroese. That would be an embarrasing and horrible result.
Re: Tidbits In the F. Islands the sun sets at around 6:30 and some players have complained of the lighting in the stadium. it is very difficult to see the ball at times.
A summary of what I've read in the press over the last couple of days: Most of the reports coming out of national team camp are focusing on the boredom and sleepiness of the Faroe Islands. The Israeli players and coaches are concerned that the idyllic setting will lull them into complacency when they need to play with great intensity. Benayoun, Zandberg, and Ben Haim have been held out of most of the training as a precuation for some slight knocks they picked up against the Swiss, but all participated in the final training session today and are expected to be fit to play. The Faroese players have been showing Israel a lot of respect, with one player (I think the GK) being quoted as saying that based on what they have seen, Israel may be the best team in the group (I don't think he has a future in scouting once his playing career is over). Still, they are confident when playing at home and expect to give Israel a tough game. They think a draw is attainable but that a win is a stretch. They know they can create chances but say the main difference between them and Israel is that Israel puts away chances and they don't. Still, for all this respect they admitted not having heard of any of the Israeli players, even Benayoun. The two teams are staying on different floors of the same hotel and running into each other often and even mixing a little at the bar. Despite taking a lot of heat, Avraham Grant remains convinced that his cautious tactics against Switzerland were justified and the players are backing him up, claiming that removing a defensive-minded player in favor of an attacker would surely have led them to concede another goal and lose the match. Grant does, however, realize that he must be more aggressive in the next two matches and will field a more attack-minded lineup with a three-pronged attack consisting of Katan and Benayoun wide and Balili in the middle.
Re: Tidbits Yes, it seems there actualy isn't any lighting in the stadium, it relies completely on natural light and between the cloud cover and the early sunset, it was pretty hard to see this evening at the team's last training session (held at the same time of day as the match will take place tomorrow). Some recent match odds: Faroe Islands 15 to 1 to win 6.5 to 1 to draw Israel 1 to 5 to win
Suan set to take Idan Tal's place in the starting lineup. Klemi Saban also dropped from the first team. Players are a little frustrated and are raring to go. I expect a sloppy start to the match.
Other Matches The other matches in our group will be shown on Channels 10 and 5+ so I will post updates in regards to what happens in those matches. I think that the France game will also be shown in the USA on Setanta 3 and for sure it is being shown in France and Ireland possibly the UK as well.
Suan for Tal? It's kind of an odd situation. Idan Tal played well against the Swiss, Benayoun didn't really but instead of replacing Benayoun we replace Tal. It is as though it would be wrong to ever not play Benayoun. I think Tal is great though. He scored 10 goals in a defensive midfielder position at Maccabi Haifa last season. Though Benayoun was Santander's leading goalscorer as a midfielder. Wow, I don't know what I would do. Well, I guess I would keep the line up from the Swiss game. National anthems being played.
Line up Just as predicted by the press: Nir Davidovich Alon Harazi Ariel Benado Tal Ben Haim Adoram Keisi Abbas Suan Walid Badir Avi Nimni Yossi Benayoun Pini Balili Yaniv Katan
Update Israel 0-0 Faroe Islands Currently in the 4th minute Yossi Benayoun already had two great chances! There is a crowd of about 500 people there. Israel isn't settling the ball properly if you ask me. They need to control better.
Update Israel 0-0 Faroe Islands Currently in the 14th minute I can't believe we can't settle the ball! Yossi Benayoun is the only one with a clue. It is true about the winds there, and the Faroes have looked okay thanks to poor Israel play.
Nimni looks horrible. 22nd minute Suan bounces back from his yellow card and blasts it wide of the goal as he charges forward for a shot off a nice layoff from Balili(?).
Update Israel 0-0 Faroe Islands Currently in the 23rd minute I can't take this. The crossing isn't working due to the strong winds.
Sounds a bit like our trip up there. They actually outplayed us for spells in the first half since, but we managed to show our class in the second.
Re: Update Thanks for the updates. I think Israel played a friendly in the Faroe Islands in the early 90's. I don't think it is out of the real of possiblity for the Faroese to get a result from this game. Although, they have had one of their worst runs in a qualifying campaign this time around.
Davidovich getting way too many touches. Too much rushing from Israel, they have to be more patient on the ball as they obviously have more ball skills. 27th minute Balili denied nicely by FI keeper, corner, nothing comes of it.
Update Israel 0-0 Faroe Islands Currently in the 28th minute There is no reason for the defenders not to pressure the Faroese on the ball. These players will not dribble by us, maybe cross the ball but there is no way that they will dribble by us. Just close them down the minute they get the ball. That is what you do whenever you play someone who is worse than you. Put Benayoun in the middle, he could dribble by their entire side.
Re: Update The last time Israel played in the Faroe Islands was at Toftif in August of 1992. The game ended in a 1-1 tie.
I assume there's no video or audio link for this game? The audio would have to be in english, as my hebrew isn't very good anymore. Thanks.