Israel Prepares for Ireland Match After Kosovo Draw

The Israeli national football team is in Serbia for its upcoming match against Ireland, scheduled to take place in Bačka Topola. The team arrived from Hungary on Friday and will hold its final training session before the game in Novi Sad. Coach Ran Ben Shimon is set to conduct a pre-match press conference in the evening.

The team is determined to improve its performance after a goalless draw against Kosovo, which secured their first point in the current campaign. "We have a big debt to repay to ourselves and to everyone," stated sources within the team. "We got our first point against Kosovo, and it needs to give us a push forward. It would be terrible if we thought stopping the losses was enough." The players are aware of the high stakes in the match against Ireland.

Several key players are facing fitness concerns. Four players, Manor Solomon, Eliel Peretz, Anan Khalaily, and Nikita Stavrov, have played in all three previous matches. While Eliel Peretz and Nikita Stavrov are expected to remain in the starting lineup after finishing the Kosovo game without injury, Khalaily is doubtful due to an injury sustained during the match. Manor Solomon is also a doubt, having finished the previous game with back pain, though the team is working to make him available.

Coach Ben Shimon plans to continue with a three-center-back formation, with Idan Nachmias, Raz Shlomo, and Nikita Stavrov expected to form the defensive line. Roy Revivo is anticipated to return to the left flank after missing the Kosovo game. Tai Baribo is likely to start despite missing significant chances against Kosovo, and Dor Peretz, who captained the team, is also expected in the lineup. Eitan Azulai is also a strong candidate to start, having made a positive impact as a substitute against Kosovo.