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Israel Football Team Faces Relegation Threat After Kosovo Draw

The Israeli national football team drew 0-0 against Kosovo in a UEFA Nations League match on Saturday, leaving the squad winless and in last place in Group B3 with three points.

3 newsrooms · 1 language · since 17:42

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Israel Football Team Faces Relegation Threat After Kosovo Draw — Illustration by baba

What happened

01The Israeli national football team drew 0-0 against Kosovo on Saturday, leaving them last in their UEFA Nations League group.
02The draw relegates Israel to the third seeding tier for the upcoming Euro tournament qualifiers.
03Israel must defeat Austria on Tuesday to have any chance of avoiding a relegation playoff in March 2027.
04National coach Ran Ben Shimon praised his team's commitment and defensive execution despite difficult pitch conditions.
05The squad has been hampered by a series of unusual player injuries, including cardiac issues and long-term absences.
06Defender Raz Shlomo will be unavailable for the crucial upcoming match against Austria.
07Midfielder Manor Solomon trained for the first time as he recovers, while Roy Revivo is being assessed for injuries.

The draw has significant consequences for Israel's future tournament paths. The result relegates Israel to the third seeding tier for the Euro qualifiers, which Ynet reports are for Euro 2028, while Sport5 and Mako report are for Euro 2024. To avoid a relegation playoff in March 2027 to stay in League B, Israel must defeat Austria in their final group match on Tuesday and rely on other group results to secure a third-place finish.

National coach Ran Ben Shimon praised his players' commitment, heart, and defensive execution during the first 60 minutes despite difficult pitch conditions and a series of unusual injuries. While Manor Solomon trained for the first time, showing improvement, Raz Shlomo will be unavailable for the upcoming match against Austria, and Roy Revivo is being assessed for injuries.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 23:06

Latest report: Ynet. Read Ynet’s original