Romania are level on points with Switzerland in Euro 2024 qualifying Group I. The teams are on 16 points after eight games in Group I ahead of this weekend’s match with Israel.
Israel will start matchday No. 9 in Group I in third place. The Israelis are in the playoff position currently and need to keep collecting points to hold off fourth-place Kosovo.
לעולם לא להספיד את ישראל!🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/ADxfpDjdmG— ISRAEL FA (@ISRAELFA) November 15, 2023
לעולם לא להספיד את ישראל!🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/ADxfpDjdmG
Romania and Israel have met 27 times in their history, with the former holding an edge in wins and losses. Romania have a record of 14W-7D-6L against Israel all-time.
The national teams met in September in the reverse fixture in Group I. The match ended 1-1 in Romania, with neither side able to make the breakthrough.
Denis Alibec opened the scoring for Romania, Israel’s Oscar Gloukh levelled the score just before the hour mark. Neither side could find a winner and the match ended in a stalemate.
Romania are unbeaten in Euro 2024 qualifying. They posted four wins and four draws in their eight games. It has been a stellar campaign so far for the Romanians.
The team’s defence has been spot on, conceding a mere four goals, the fewest in Group I.
Israel have struggled to score in the group. They tallied only eight goals in eight games in the group. Meanwhile, the defence conceded nine times.
Alon Hazan’s team failed to win their last two matches. Israel lost 1-0 to Kosovo and drew 1-1 with Switzerland. Their draw with the Swiss has kept Romania in the mix for the top of the group.
Romania’s Valentin Mihaila and Nicolae Stanciu lead the team in goals with three apiece. Meanwhile, Israel’s top scorers are Gloukh and Shon Weissman. The duo has tallied two goals apiece.
Israel’s last four qualifiers were all low-scoring, with all four matches ending with under 2.5 goals scored. Two of the four matches ended NO BTTS.
Three of Romania’s last four matches in qualifying saw under 2.5 goals. With Israel struggling to score in the group and Romania possessing a strong defence, this weekend’s match should be low-scoring.
Genoa forward George Puscas is Romania’s dangerman. He has 10 international goals.
However, Puscas hasn’t scored in Euro 2024 qualifying. Hazan will hope Weissman can be on target once more and improve his Euro qualifying goal record.
In the end, Israel and Romania should once again finish 1-1 with neither team able to make the breakthrough. The draw will help Romania hang onto second place, but they will fail to take sole possession of first place from Switzerland.