Israel vs Slovenia Predictions

Israel have only played six matches under Andi Herzog but their results haven’t exactly been stunning, with three wins and three losses. Their last game was a 3-2 loss to Scotland which saw the Israelis miss out on top spot in their Nations League group. Despite being the lowest ranked side of the group, they managed to beat Scotland (2-1) and Albania (2-0) but their other results saw them ultimately fall short. 

Israel have a rather discouraging squad to choose from but there are some real starlets in this team who could light this game up. Munas Dabbur is Israel’s most dangerous player, with the striker set for a transfer to Sevilla in the summer. He has been in excellent form for RB Salzburg this season with 26 goals in 38 matches, twelve of these coming in Europe, which really shows his quality. He has never really hit those heights for his nation with just three goals in 13 caps but given his form, he should be a thorn in Slovenia’s side. It is a very old squad with Manor Solomon being the only teenager called up but the striker is a real talent and that’s why Shakhtar Donetsk just paid €6m for the forward. He is seen as the next shining light of Israeli football and will be looking to get his first international goal here against Slovenia. 

Slovenia are 29 places above Israel in the FIFA World Rankings but they haven’t been showing the pedigree of a 63rd placed side recently. They have won just one of their last eleven matches and will be hoping for some better fortunes under new manager Matjaž Kek. The Yugoslavia-born coach was most recently manager of HNK Rijeka and with a successful five year stint there, he’ll be aiming to bring that to his second term in charge of the national side. Slovenia were relegated to League D by finishing bottom of their Nations League last year so the confidence is pretty low but Kek is looking to change that. 

Slovenia have a great base to build off of as their man between the sticks is generally considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world; Jan Oblak has been incredible for Atlético this season with 15 clean sheets after 28 league games. The rest of the squad is pretty uninspiring with few breaking into any of Europe’s elite sides. Despite the pair both being without a goal at international level, Luka Zahović and Rudi Požeg Vancaš have been in fine form this season in the Prva Liga. They are the league’s top two scorers with eleven and twelve respectively.

Both sides are rather evenly matched ahead of this one with Slovenia higher in the rankings but with much worse form than Israel. The Israelis have a rather solid home record of three wins in their last three in front of their own fans. Slovenia cannot boast as impressive an away record as they have won just one of their last ten games on the road. Israel have only kept three clean sheets in their last 14 games but two of these were against 149th placed Guatemala and 181st Liechtenstein. Slovenia have also been awful at the back with just one clean sheet in their last eleven matches so we’re backing goals, as both nations have in-form men up front. However, with Israel’s form of three wins in their last four games we’re going to back the home side to win 2-1. Dabbur has scored five goals in his last six starts so we’re backing him to get on the score-sheet for Israel.