Two sides who fired in a combined nine unanswered goals on Friday night clash in a crucial World Cup qualifier (WCQ) here, as Israel look to put daylight between themselves and Italy in their race to progress from Group I.
Match News and Current Form
Israel’s bid to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1970 is progressing nicely, as a 4-0 thumping of Moldova kept them in the play-off spot, three points clear of the chasing pack headed by their opponents here. The Skyblue and Whites have won five of their last six matches (L1) but will have no home advantage here given the ongoing situation in the Middle East. While that won’t be new to the Israel players, they were beaten 4-2 by Norway in their last WCQ game as the designated home side, and a similar slip-up here could eventually prove fatal to their chances of qualifying.
Italy came through a must-win clash in Gennaro Gattuso’s bow as manager on Friday, and while the 5-0 victory they managed against Estonia appears emphatic, they were made to work seriously hard for that victory having gone in at the break goalless. The Azzurri desperately needed that win, but this game is arguably even bigger, as defeat would open up a six-point gap between themselves and the top two which could see the four-time winners miss out on a third successive World Cup finals.
Head-to-Head History
Italy have never lost against Israel (W6, D1), winning each of the last four meetings, including two in the Nations League in 2024, both of which also saw both teams score.
Hot Stats and Streaks
None of Israel’s last 12 WCQ outings have ended level (W8, L4).
Israel have had at least ten shots in each of their last six matches.
Italy have failed to score in their last three WCQ away matches (D2, L1).
Just three of Italy’s last 21 WCQ matches at any venue saw both teams score.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Playmaker Oscar Gloukh scored his fourth goal for Israel in the victory against Moldova, with all of those strikes arriving after half-time. Super sub Giacomo Raspadori made a telling impact for Italy, directly contributing to three goals in the space of 25 minutes (G1, A2) to take his goal involvement tally to six across his last four internationals (G3, A3).
Neither side reported any new injuries after Friday night’s action.
For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.
Betting Analysis
A night of no drama looks out of the question for a Gattuso-led Italy, so backing both teams to score could provide value as it’s been a rare outcome for the Azzurri in recent WCQs.
Author: Ryan Fisher