Group2 Greece Israel Switzerland Moldova Latvia Luxembourg I don't know much about Moldova and Latvia. Luxembourg got a win over Albania in the Euro 2008 qualifiers but I don't think they are something to worry about too much... Switzerland we already know and from what I've heard, they are a weaker team then the team we qualified against in the WC2006 qualifiers. Drawing Greece was a best case scenario from pot A, not because they are a bad team but because they are the weakest of the pot A teams. Overall I'm happy with the draw, it gives us an opportunity to fight for first place and avoid a 2nd place play-off.
Wow, I can't wait for the games to begin. This is maybe the best possible shot we could've gotten at a direct 1st place entry. Even though I'm sure Greece and Switzerland will be tough opponents for us they're the two teams I was hoping for from Pot 1 and 3. We really need to take advantage of this draw because it might be the best chance Israel will have to qualify for a major tournament in a while.
I am so excited for our group, I cannot believe that more people are not excited, we are going to win the group and go to the world cup in 2010!!!
Greece is no pushover, They beat turkey and gave them a really hard time in wcq06 too. They are group leaders. On the other hand I have wanted to face this greece team for a while, they talked alot of shit about us during the 06qualifiers. We can pull off anything with them. Swiss are no joke, they played us hard in the 06qualifers and they are playing hosts to euro 08, they will be fit, and ready. Good group, I hope we get everything together for this qualifers. I want to win the group, we have to continue to play smart and hard.
this is it. israels best chance to date. we must do this. with our young crop of talent and new players, we have to be ready. and we have to shoot to win this group. we got lucky we didnt end up with denmark and italy. greece and switzerland are great teams thought they cannot be taken lightly . it would be terrible if we did not qualify or make the playoff even. lo beeshveelee, lo beeshveel hakvutzah, beeshveel artzeinu!
Israel definitely has a better draw in this group than in Euro qualifiers, but you have to WIN the group to advance. Greece is going to be very tough, they are playing really well right now and are a good defensive team (which England isn't). If Israel can make the playoff, look for England, Turkey or Sweden - so Israel still has it all to do to make a World Cup!
I think even with this excellant draw, Israel will have a great team. Benayoun and Ben-Haim will be their prime and youngsters such as Ben Sahar, Maor Buzaglo, Yuval Shpungin, Dekel Keinan, and others will have gained more experience. Young Guy Assulin may be involved as well and by the time qualifiers begin I believe he will be a full member of Barcelona's first team. Elyaniv Barda is only getting better and no doubt Roberto Colautti will find his place in Munchengladbrach's first team and be playing in the Bundesliga next year. Tamir Cohen and Gal Alberman may very well be playing in Europe in the next year, as well as Barak Yitzchaki and Yoav Ziv. Look for players such as Itay Shechter and other youngsters to be involved, nonetheless Israel's squad is very strong. Line-up ------------Sahar--------Barda (Colautti, Itzchaki)------ --Buzaglo-----------------------Benayoun(c)--------- ---------Alberman--------Cohen-------------- Ziv-------Ben-Haim-------Keinan---Meshumar (Shpungin)---- -------------------Awate-----------------
Wow, what a great draw for us! We can do it this time. Israel's squad will be as bright as ever next year and Greece and Switzerland are very beatable, indeed. I almost wish we had a harder draw, because we always seem to screw up somewhere with a weaker team.
I just saw the draw on the internet. Been on holiday for a bit. So excited and revel in the chance of being in South Africa in 2010. Also hope that I get to some away qualifiers.
It's difficult to see us topping the group with two big teams alongside us. Then again, If we hold out against the swiss, and take some points from the greek who are favorites here, anything's possible. We have alot of talent, Omer Golan, Toto Tamuz, Collautti, Sahar, and Shushan, and that's just the front line. Ziv and Shpungin will be in the back with T.B Haim for sure.
Switzerland and Greece surely are decent teams, but I don't think they have the quality of Croatia, Russia and England ... so you should have a real chance to reach at least spot 2 in the end!
Greece is far superior to Russia/England right now . . . and Switzerland is up and down, but if Israel could've beaten them they would've qualified for Germany.
Israel will play Romania in a friendly on February 6 at Ramat Gan. This will be good because Romania qualified for EURO 2008 behind the Netherlands, and have several good players.
Correction, Romania topped the group. Netherlands finished second 3 points behind (losing away to Romania and Belarus).
They may be picking up better results, but England especially is a much better team than Greece and I think Israel's style of play is very similar to Greece's so it will be easier to play against them.
England certainly has the big name talent, but Greece is a much better team (and has plenty of talent, too). Israel couldn't take a point off Croatia in the last set of qualifiers and I think it'll be equally hard to peg back Greece as well. Ultimately, it's results that get you in and the Greeks have been incredibly effective with this generation of players - I'm rooting for Israel, but I'd rather see England with ANOTHER new manager and all their injured marquee players than the Greeks who just show up, stay organized, and get points.
The fact that Israel didn't take a point off Croatia is irrelevant, Israel should have taken 4 points off of Croatia very easily. The game at home Israel were winning 1-0 and were in control when a inexperienced centre back made a horrible back pass and gave Croatia a penalty which changed the game completely, in the return fixture Tal Ben-Haim fell asleep letting Eduardo score and easy tap in. Comparing Croatia and Greece is irrelevant, I see Greece struggling to get a point at Ramat-Gan and I see Israel taking a point in Greece. I'm just matching up the players of each team and I don't see players Greek team that are much better than the Israeli players.
Well, we'll see. Where we agree is that this is Israel's best chance in a long time to qualify. I still think they'll have to win a tough playoff against a seeded team to make it to South Africa, provided they actually beat Switzerland. But I hope I'm wrong!
Can't wait for the campaign to start. This is a good chance for Israel which must not be blowing. I even think Israel could of qualified for Euro 2008 but some poor team choices threw that out of the window.
israel has an AWESOME chances main opponents are greece and switz were pretty lucky cuz we got the easiest from pot 1
Bottom line. Israel should be in the world cup come 2010. They need to work hard. I'm sure that every other team in this group is happy with the draw, and they all think they can make it. GO ISRAEL!
I don't believe some of these comments boys. first of all, going back to the game against croatia, Tal Ben Haim did not fall asleep, If anything he was all alone with players who had no experience or just sucked. Croatia gave a own goal just like us. It could of been a tie but that's futball. WC2010......This is the best chance for us to qualify, but only because we got pot B, playing two hard teams rather than three. Greece are very good, they won a major competition before and they gave turkey a run for it every time. Also, the third team came out as the swiss, and I would of rather played Northern Ireland, Finland, Belgium, Serbia or even Norway than the swiss. They are very good, you saw how they took out a crazy turkish team in the wc06q. They are hosting the euro 08 so they will have much preparation too. Don't get lost in the moment........This group is real hard and it won't be easy to take any points off these teams. We can do it, I just hope some of these little girls on the team can become men by then. Omer Golan, Shpungin, Ziv, Must be the young players we should focus on. Awat, Yossi, Ben Haim, are obviously our top 3, , , , , , , We just need that fourth to play the striker position to be dangerous everywhere.