MHaifa1913
07 Sep 2003, 12:12 AM
Israel 1-3 Slovenia
After a match like this, I don't have any desire in translating Hebrew articles so I will just post the Ha'aretz Daily (http://www.haaretz.co.il) English article on the match:
Slovenly Israel disgraced by sparkling Slovenia
By Haaretz Sports Staff and Agencies
Israel's chances of qualifying for the Euro 2004
soccer championship next summer were all but
demolished last night, after it lost 3-1 to
Slovenia in Ljubljana. Israel's poor performance
also saw it end the game with only nine players,
after Avi Nimni and Tal Ben Haim were red-carded
in the dying minutes.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasite/images/iht_printed/P070903/sp.0709.1.1.jpg
Idan Tal, left, being tackled by Milan Acimovic of Slovenia during Israel's 3-1 defeat in Slovenia last night. (Reuters)
Zlatko Zahovic set up all his team's goals, as Slovenia kept itself in the race for a playoff spot. The victory means Slovenia has strengthened its hold on second place in the group, with 13 points from six games - five points clear of Israel with two games to play.
On Wednesday, Slovenia entertains group leader
France, which crushed Cyprus 5-0 last night.
Israel - which faces the almost impossible task
of winning both its remaining matches, while
hoping the Slovenians lose theirs in order to
to clinch a playoff spot - faces bottom team
Malta.
Slovenia went in front thanks to Ermin Siljak,
who chested home a free kick from playmaker
Zahovic on 34 minutes. The Slovenian captain
then set up his team's second goal for
Aleksander Knavs, just three minutes later.
Haim Revivo, who was prefered by coach Avraham
Grant over in-form striker Pini Balili, pulled
a goal back for Israel after 69 minutes, when
he latched on to a cross from Yossi Benayoun.
But Zahovic completed his hat trick of assists,
setting up Nastja Ceh for Slovenia's third goal
12 minutes from time.
Avi Nimni was sent off after 86 minutes for a
rough challenge and was soon followed down the
tunnel by teammate Tal Ben-Haim, who was shown
the red card in the dying minutes for another
rough tackle, this time on former Hapoel Tel
Aviv player Sebastjan Cimirotic.
For several of Israel's veteran players, the
game could be their last. Revivo said last week
that he would quit the national team if it lost
to Slovenia. Several other players are also
expected to make way for the younger generation
now that Israel's Euro 2004 campaign is, for
all intents and purposes, over.
In the best game of its UEFA 2004 campaign,
Israel's U-21 team beat Slovenia 2-1 in
Ljubljana on Friday to move into third place in
its qualifying group.
U-21s come good
The home team took the lead in the 20th minute,
when Hajduk Split's Klemen Lavric converted a
dubious penalty. But from then on, Israel
gradually wrested control of the game.
Yossi Sibhon leveled the scores in the 36th
minute, after pouncing on a loose ball in the
penalty area; and Yosef Golan scored the winner
for Israel after Reuven Oved weaved his way
passed the Slovenian defense to set him up for
an easy shot.
Despite the win, Israel's chances of taking one
of the top two qualifying spots in Group One
remain slim. The U-21s currently lie in fourth
place and in order to grab second place, it
will need to beat Malta next week and group
leader France in Paris next month in its final
game, hoping meanwhile that Cyprus drops points
in its final game against Slovenia.
After a match like this, I don't have any desire in translating Hebrew articles so I will just post the Ha'aretz Daily (http://www.haaretz.co.il) English article on the match:
Slovenly Israel disgraced by sparkling Slovenia
By Haaretz Sports Staff and Agencies
Israel's chances of qualifying for the Euro 2004
soccer championship next summer were all but
demolished last night, after it lost 3-1 to
Slovenia in Ljubljana. Israel's poor performance
also saw it end the game with only nine players,
after Avi Nimni and Tal Ben Haim were red-carded
in the dying minutes.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasite/images/iht_printed/P070903/sp.0709.1.1.jpg
Idan Tal, left, being tackled by Milan Acimovic of Slovenia during Israel's 3-1 defeat in Slovenia last night. (Reuters)
Zlatko Zahovic set up all his team's goals, as Slovenia kept itself in the race for a playoff spot. The victory means Slovenia has strengthened its hold on second place in the group, with 13 points from six games - five points clear of Israel with two games to play.
On Wednesday, Slovenia entertains group leader
France, which crushed Cyprus 5-0 last night.
Israel - which faces the almost impossible task
of winning both its remaining matches, while
hoping the Slovenians lose theirs in order to
to clinch a playoff spot - faces bottom team
Malta.
Slovenia went in front thanks to Ermin Siljak,
who chested home a free kick from playmaker
Zahovic on 34 minutes. The Slovenian captain
then set up his team's second goal for
Aleksander Knavs, just three minutes later.
Haim Revivo, who was prefered by coach Avraham
Grant over in-form striker Pini Balili, pulled
a goal back for Israel after 69 minutes, when
he latched on to a cross from Yossi Benayoun.
But Zahovic completed his hat trick of assists,
setting up Nastja Ceh for Slovenia's third goal
12 minutes from time.
Avi Nimni was sent off after 86 minutes for a
rough challenge and was soon followed down the
tunnel by teammate Tal Ben-Haim, who was shown
the red card in the dying minutes for another
rough tackle, this time on former Hapoel Tel
Aviv player Sebastjan Cimirotic.
For several of Israel's veteran players, the
game could be their last. Revivo said last week
that he would quit the national team if it lost
to Slovenia. Several other players are also
expected to make way for the younger generation
now that Israel's Euro 2004 campaign is, for
all intents and purposes, over.
In the best game of its UEFA 2004 campaign,
Israel's U-21 team beat Slovenia 2-1 in
Ljubljana on Friday to move into third place in
its qualifying group.
U-21s come good
The home team took the lead in the 20th minute,
when Hajduk Split's Klemen Lavric converted a
dubious penalty. But from then on, Israel
gradually wrested control of the game.
Yossi Sibhon leveled the scores in the 36th
minute, after pouncing on a loose ball in the
penalty area; and Yosef Golan scored the winner
for Israel after Reuven Oved weaved his way
passed the Slovenian defense to set him up for
an easy shot.
Despite the win, Israel's chances of taking one
of the top two qualifying spots in Group One
remain slim. The U-21s currently lie in fourth
place and in order to grab second place, it
will need to beat Malta next week and group
leader France in Paris next month in its final
game, hoping meanwhile that Cyprus drops points
in its final game against Slovenia.