Dor Peretz Tapped to Lead Israel's Attack in Upcoming Matches

The Israeli national football team is preparing for an extended international break featuring four matches against Austria, Kosovo, and Ireland (twice). Head coach Ran Ben Shimon is reportedly considering deploying midfielder Dor Peretz as a forward for the upcoming game against Austria.

This potential shift is driven by concerns over the availability and fitness of the team's regular strikers, Dor Turgeman, Tai Baribo, and Idan Toklomati, who are expected to arrive just 24 hours before the match after a long flight from the United States, potentially suffering from jet lag.

Furthermore, Ben Shimon is keen to include both Peretz and star player Oscar Gloukh in the lineup. With Gloukh typically playing as an attacking midfielder, and Peretz also favoring a forward role, placing Peretz at striker would allow both key players to feature prominently. Peretz has previously played as a false nine against Italy, scoring twice in a 5-4 loss.

The national squad announcement is scheduled for tomorrow. Noam Steifman is expected to be called up, along with Yarin Levi and Eitan Azulay. Azulay, however, will miss the Austria match due to his wedding on the 23rd. Gabi Kanyukovsky will also be unavailable for the Austria game because of his brother's wedding, while Neta Lavi is sidelined due to injury.