Israel National Football Team Faces Midfield Challenges Ahead of Nations League Opener
The Israeli national football team is grappling with significant midfield selection issues ahead of their UEFA Nations League match against Austria. The potential absence of key midfielder Moanes Dabour due to an injury sustained in training poses a major concern for coach Ran Ben Shimon. If Dabour cannot play, Yarin Levi is the only remaining option for midfield support from the bench, a situation described as insufficient.
Further complicating matters, several other midfielders called up by Ben Shimon are unavailable. Gabi Kanyukovsky will miss the game to attend his brother's wedding, Eitan Azoulay got married the previous evening, and Omri Gandelman is dealing with a minor injury and has not been training with the squad. This leaves the starting midfield pairing of Eyal Peretz and Dor Peretz facing a challenge, as neither player consistently features in their preferred positions for their respective clubs.
Eyal Peretz, typically an attacking midfielder for Hapoel Be'er Sheva, will be deployed as a defensive midfielder for the national team, a role he has filled before in World Cup qualifiers. Dor Peretz, the current top scorer in the Israeli Premier League and often used as an attacker for Maccabi Tel Aviv and his current club, will also need to adapt to a more defensive role, similar to his past position at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
On the right flank, right-back Guy Mzerahi of Hapoel Be'er Sheva has impressed Ben Shimon and is favored over Eli Dasa, despite Dasa's lack of consistent playing time in the Netherlands. Ben Shimon believes Dasa's lack of recent club minutes will not impact his performance when called upon.
In goal, Daniel Peretz arrives as the undisputed starter for Bayern Munich, silencing any debate about his place in the national team. The article also reflects on the team's defensive struggles in the previous World Cup qualifiers, where they conceded 21 goals, highlighting the need for improved defensive organization against a strong Austrian side aiming for a positive start to their campaign in front of a home crowd.
