The commander-in-chief of the Israeli national team, Dror Kashtan, the “stern ensign” (as the wit journalists ironically call him), was tormented by doubts until the last minute. As a result, the Tel Aviv’s Beitar Sandberg midfielder was included in the starting protocol, while his teammates Tamuz and Ben-Shoshan remained in reserve.
In the wake of the defeat, we can conclude that the Israeli coaching staff miscalculated without using at least one of these young forwards in the main clip. And without risking to play at home, with the frantic support of the 40-thousand-strong torsida bored without big football with at least two forwards, Kashtan followed in the footsteps of his predecessor and eternal opponent Abraham Grant.
It was an unsuccessful evening for the defensive lines of both teams, as the result eloquently testifies. The Croats, who were proud of the match zero before the match, received three at once. And still won! There is nothing to be done: the patency of the Israeli defense was even higher.
And now we can only speculate on how events would develop, take a chance Kashtan play in the home premiere at the helm of the national squad in tandem, or even a trio of performers on the edge of the attack. Looking ahead, we note that Tamuz and Ben-Shoshan appeared on the field after all and the game of the Israeli team was noticeably sharpened, but no more. Impact on the result, as a month ago in Moscow, their output did not have. The initiative irrevocably passed by that time to the wards of Slaven Bilic ...
Although the Croatian defense cracked the first in the 8th minute. Alberman diagonally pushed Benayoun to the free space in the penalty area, from where the Israeli captain in touch ferried the ball to the tip of the attack. Paz did not reach the addressee, but the Croatian defenders and goalkeeper played out of place: Šimunić, rolled the ball back to the goalkeeper, but in fact issued a goal pass to Kolautti. Yesterday's Argentine had only a slight movement to extend it beyond the goal line.
Suddenly having received such an early advantage in the absence of initiative, the Israelis were confused and, as usual, went into a dead defense. The episode in the 23rd minute seemed to be characteristic of this segment of the match, when Badir in a panic put the ball out of the box and hit it in the partner’s hand. Fortunately for the hosts, the Spanish referee did not point to a “point” - under the friendly and loud protest of the Croatian bench.
But, as usual, the notorious Jewish happiness is short-lived - the old-fashioned bunker lasted only until the 34th minute. The Liberian capital of Beitar Ben-Yosef, who spent the first match in the starting lineup and made his debut in conjunction with Bolton defender Ben-Haim, repeated the mistake of his Croatian colleague. Avat gape on the goal line and did not have time for the ball, hooking only the legs of the fast Petrich. Undisputed 11-meter realized Srna. A warning to the Israeli goalkeeper was not the harshest verdict of those that could follow from the judicial interpretation of the episode.
Before the break, the guests continued to actively advance and managed to step forward. Four minutes later, Da Silva hit the Avat goal in a situation very similar to the Russian goal-scoring combination Pogrebnyak - Arshavin a month ago.
Ten minutes after the break, the same Da Silva won the two-round blitz duel with the goalkeeper Deportivo. Already lying on the lawn, the ex-Brazilian finished off the ball into the Israeli goal after a left-flank pass and a canopy of Srna.
Ten minutes later, Benayoun encouraged his own, in the fall closing Casey's signature canopy on the right. But even this shortened hope of the Israelites was assigned a short life. Minutes later, Da Silva returned the two-goal lead - he tricked Alberman into the penalty area onto the grass and sent the ball in a second touch against the bar.
The South American duel of naturalized forwards ended in the 89th minute when Colautti shot at an acute angle the Runes gate after Ben Shoshan's pass.
The three minutes added by the Spanish dentist Eduardo González to the Israeli footballers were too few to correct the strategic miscalculation of a gray-haired and experienced mentor.
Alex PRESKOVSKY
ISRAEL - CROATIA - 3: 4 (1: 2)
Goals: 1: 0 - Kolautti (8), 1: 1 - Srna (35, penalty), 1: 2 - Eduardo Da Silva (39), 1: 3 - Eduardo Da Silva (54), 2: 3 - Benayoun ( 68), 2: 4 - Eduardo Da Silva (72), 3: 4 - Colautti (89).
ISRAEL: Avat, Afek, Ben-Haim, Ben-Yosef, Casey, Alberman, Badir (Tamuz, 46), Tal, Sandberg (Ben-Shoshan, 59), Benayoun, Kolautti.
CROATIA: Runier, Chorluka, imić, Kovacs, imunić, Srna (Olic, 88), Kovacs, Modrić, Kranjčar (Babić, 70), Eduardo Da Silva (J. Leko, 81), Petrich.
Warnings: Avat (34), Colautti (42), Tal (60).
15th of November. Ramat Gan. 20.00.
Judge: Eduardo Ituralde González (Spain).