Scotland vs Israel
Group B2 in the UEFA Nations League may not sound like the most appealing attraction for followers of top-class football but mark my words, this clash at Hampden Park – the home of Scottish football – has a lot going for it.
For a start, it provides a dress rehearsal advantage for Scotland and Israel’s Euro 2021 play-off next month and a chance for a psychological.
Furthermore, the winners of this group are guaranteed a play-off spot for the 2022 World Cup.
With such incentives, UEFA Nations League highlights should be reasonably expected.
Talking Points
This is the second edition of UEFA’s newest national-team competition. European champions Portugal clinched the first title on home turf last summer, the culmination of a tournament that drew praise from across the continent. The 2020/21 edition will look to build on that success, with a couple of tweaks this time around.
For Scotland, Steve Clarke revived the Tartan Amy’s fortunes at the end of last year as they won their last three European qualifiers (albeit against minnows San Marino, Cyprus and Kazakhstan) after a four-game losing streak.
As well as Israel, they will also face the Czech Republic and Slovakia as they step up to the second strata of Nations League groups after promotion from the third tier.
Getting off to a good start in the first of six matches across their group over September, October and November will be at the forefront of their minds then.
What a victory would do for confidence is unclear but certainly the setback of a defeat would not help a national side which has struggled for consistency over the last decade but is now in contention to win four consecutive games for the first time since October 2007, when the team went on to win six in a row under Alex McLeish.
Clarke is hampered by some notable absentees up front this week with Steven Naismith, Oli McBurnie – who impressed for Sheffield United last term – and Lawrence Shankland all missing, while Robert Snodgrass has retired from international football.
However, they do have James Forrest, a scorer for Celtic on Saturday – and someone who has a proud recent history against the Israelis – joined by new £2 million QPR recruit Lyndon Dykes.
The 24 year-old may have been born in Australia but he qualifies – his parents are both Scottish – and could be handed his debut from the start.
His continued goalscoring form for Livingston earned his recent move and he could potentially form a new-look strike partnership with Forrest, who may only have five goals in 34 Scotland appearances but appears to be finding his feet on the international stage.
Only Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovic scored more goals in the 2018-2019 Nations League than the pacy wide man and Scotland may need to lean on him heavily.
Israel are a decent side but are not in a good run of form themselves and have lost their last two against North Macedonia and Poland and have only one win in seven.
Despite their poor run, they have still scored five in their last four matches and are up against a nation with a vulnerable defensive record.
Before the recent run of victories, Scotland conceded 10 in three matches against Russia, who beat them home and away, and Belgium, and that should give Israel a glimmer of confidence.
Influential figures Tomer Hemed and Beram Kayal sit out this trip after being released by Charlton and Brighton respectively.
China-based Eran Zahavi and Hoffenheim forward Moanes Dabour could still prove a threat up front, while Celtic duo Nir Bitton and Hatem Abd Elhamed are familiar faces.
Back to Scotland and the fact that Clarke appears to have two genuine quality players in his squad – Kieran Tierney and Andrew Robertson, his skipper – bodes well for the hosts.
That both are left-backs, narrows down the options somewhat.
Expect to see Tierney at centre back or Robertson pushed further forward in what should be an interesting dynamic in an interesting tie.
History
These two nations have met five times since their inaugural clash in 1981 and Scotland have won four of them.
The only reverse came in the inaugural Nations League nearly two years ago when a late own goal gave the Israelis a 2-1 victory in Haifa.
However, Scotland won the return fixture a month later when a superb Forrest hat-trick earned the Scots a 3-2 success secured promotion from League C in the competition.
The very first meeting 39 years ago was in a qualifier for the 1982 World Cup when Kenny Dalglish netted the only goal in Tel Aviv for a side managed by the legendary Jock Stein.
Betting Tip
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Scotland vs Israel | Over 2.25 @ 2.08 |
| September 5, 02:45 (GMT+8) |
The SBOTOP UEFA Nations League betting odds back Scotland 1X2 @ 1.88 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.20.
The visitors are available to tip 1X2 @ 4.20, Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.03 and the draw is on offer @ 3.20.
It’s hard to see past Israel’s poor away record but Scotland have yet to convince fully either.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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