Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci. (Photo : Getty Images)
Middling European team Israel will take on one of the top contenders in the first round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup UEFA qualifiers, Italy, at the Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa on Sep. 5, Monday as both teams open their respective qualifying campaigns.
Start Time and Streaming Info
The game starts at 9:45 p.m. UTC+3. It can be viewed live online thru FuboTV.
Israel was not able to qualify in the 2016 European Championship but had been engaged in a couple of friendlies this year.
The last one ended in a 1-3 loss to Serbia at the Stadion Karađorđe in Novi Sad on June 1, via Soccerway, and since then head coach Elisha Levy's team had not been together in any international play, friendly or otherwise.
The only other match the Blue and Whites had played in 2016 was a 0-2 friendly loss to Croatia way back in March.
Israel is still captained by Guangzhou R&F forward Eran Zahavi, who is also considered as the team's best player. His other notable teammates are CSKA Moscow's Bibras Natkho, Gent's Ofir Davidzada, Rami Gershon, and Kenny Saief, and Red Bull Salzburg striker Moanes Dabour.
Meanwhile, Italy is having a decent year, although the team is expected to achieve more than what it had so far.
New head coach Giampiero Ventura took over from Antonio Conte, who resigned after the Euro 2016 games to coach English Premier League side Chelsea this season.
Conte led Gli Azzurri to the quarterfinals of the Euros, eventually getting eliminated by reigning World Cup champions Germany, 1-1 (5-6 on penalties), Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux on July 2, as per SkySports.
The team still has their highly-defensive core of team captain Gianluigi Buffon and defenders Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, and Giorio Chiellini all of Serie A champions Juventus, Antonio Candreva, Marco Verratti, and Federico Bernardeschi at midfield, and attackers Graziano Pellè, Eder, and Andrea Belotti.
Italy is not hands-down predicted to top Group G of the qualifiers, though, as the group also has Spain. Other teams in the bracket are Albania, Macedonia, and Liechtenstein.
Only the first-placed squad after the first round will automatically advance to the 2018 World Cup in Russia while the second-placed team will enter the second round of qualifiers.
Prediction and Predicted Lineup
The predicted result is a 3-1 romp for Italy.
Israel starting lineup (4-2-1-3 formation): Goresh; Tibi, Tzedek, Davidzada, Gershon; Bitton, Natkho; Yeini; Zahavi, Ben Chaim, Dabour
Italy starting lineup (3-5-2 formation): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Florenzi, Candreva, Parolo, De Rossi, De Sciglio; Pellè, Eder
