Over the years, the Israeli national team faced quite a few opponents superior to it on paper and provided quite a few good, respectable games, ones that made us proud, but always the players in blue and white ended up stumbling in the moments of truth or made serious mistakes that ultimately caused us great disappointment, But when you step on the grass, hope always reawakens, even in the years that are parked.
Tonight (Thursday) Ran Ben Shimon’s team hosted the great French team in Budapest in the 3rd round of the upper house in the Nations League, with the hope of trying to surprise, certainly when the guest arrived without one of the biggest stars in the world, if not the biggest of them all – Kylian Mbappe.
Coach Ran Ben Shimon spoke before the game about how he wants to see his team play with confidence even against players who grace the rosters of the biggest teams in Europe and hoped to see more progress and the truth? He saw quite a few reasons to smile. He saw his players play aggressively, with passion, but in the end what we will remember is again a difficult and embarrassing mistake by one of our players and a typical breakdown at the end that overshadowed a respectable game.
Already in the 7th minute Omri Glazer missed a weak ball from Eduardo Kamabinga and put the team in an early hole. Omri Gundelman, who is in amazing form in Belgium, still had time to score after a great assist by Oscar Gloch, but a few minutes later, Christophe Ankonko, overcame four defenders and put the French in the lead again. When it seemed that the match would end in a minor loss, Matteo Ganduzi and Bradley Barcola arrived and made the score increase to 1:4 for the guest, a result that on the one hand does injustice to our team, but on the other hand makes them realize how much more work they have to tickle teams like France.
If we really want to progress, a mistake like Glazer made and a horrific drop in tension in the final minutes cannot happen at these levels. The soccer players are human, fallible, who stumble, but in the end to bring good results at these levels, you need perfection. A perfection that is still very difficult for us to reach.
On Monday we will meet the Italian national team again, this time outside, with a renewed hope to make a sensation, with a renewed hope to see our players play a perfect game. From the 1st minute until the final whistle.
The course of the game:
1: The match has started.
7: Gate! 0:1 for the French team! A weak kick from outside the box by Eduardo Cabamabinga was awkwardly deflected by Omari Glazer and the ball went in. A difficult moment for the Red Star goalkeeper.
24: Gate! Israel compares to 1:1! Oskar Gloch found Omri Gundelman with an amazing deep ball and the Ghent player tapped in. A huge goal for the blues.
28: Gate! France takes a 1:2 lead! Anakonko overcame three defenders, cut to the left and faced Glazer who came at him, rolled into the net.
87: Gate! 1:3 to France! Theo Hernandez found the free Mateo Ganduzi on the edge of the box and the midfielder kicked a strong and accurate pass into the bottom corner of Glazer.
89: Gate! 1:4 to France! The host went on a quick burst attack against the Israeli defense. Ganduzi found Barcola, who scored for the tie.
French national team players during the national anthem, photo: Reuters Israeli national team, this evening in Budapest, photo: Reuters Deschamps, this evening, photo: AFP Hennands vs Abda, this evening, photo: AFP Cambayenga celebrates France’s winning goal, photo: AFP Gundelman celebrates the equalizer, photo : AFP Israel national team players, this evening, photo: AFP Feingold and Glazer stop Ankonko, photo: AFP
The vehicles:
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Israel: Omri Glazer, Lial Abda, Ilai Feingold, Idan Nachmias, Matan Balatxa, Dolev Haziza, Mahmoud Jaber, Muhammad Abu Fani, Omri Gandelman, Oskar Gloch and Tai Bribo.
France: Mike Manian, Jules Conde, William Saliba, Ibrahima Cunata, Theo Hernandez, Orleans Tshoumani, Eduardo Kamabinga, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olisa, Christopher Ankonko and Randall Kolo Mwani.
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