Preview
Israel vs Iceland: Match Preview and Prediction
Israel vs Iceland: In Group J, Iceland’s ten qualifiers included six losses. Eran Zahavi scored eight goals in his six prior Maccabi Tel Aviv games. In the final two qualifying matches, Iceland gave up six goals.
Israel and Iceland will play in the UEFA European Championship qualifying playoff semi-finals on Thursday night at Szusza Ferenc Stadion in Budapest. Next Tuesday, in the playoff final, the victor of this single encounter will square off against the winner of the match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Ukraine.
On Thursday night in Budapest, there will be a lot of stress since a spot at EURO 2024 is at stake. The bookies see Israel as the small favorite going into the contest. They finished third in Group E of qualifying. The Israeli team had four victories, three ties, and three losses at the end of the qualification round. They trailed Switzerland by two points in second place and were seven points behind section champion Romania.
Iceland’s own qualification campaign was a huge letdown. In ten games against Portugal, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Liechtenstein, they have only earned three victories. The primary issue facing Iceland has been a lack of defensive meticulousness. Ten qualifying matches later, the Scandinavians let up sixteen goals.
Israel vs Iceland: Betting Analysis
In the former UEFA Nations League, these two teams were assigned to the same group. In this particular instance, they split the prizes from both matches. It’s interesting to note that both games ended with 2-2 scores. Iceland is still chasing its first victory over Israel. They’ll make six attempts at this. Israel has scored two goals or more in each of the last five encounters with Iceland.
Israel did not have a stellar performance in regular qualifying. From the games against Romania, Switzerland, and Kosovo, they only gained one point. However, entering into this match, their players are in far better form than Iceland’s. The nucleus of the Israeli national team consists of players from Maccabi, Tel Aviv, and Maccabi, Haifa.
This season, both teams advanced to the UEFA Conference League’s round of sixteen. The golden generation of Iceland is now older than ever. On Thursday, Captain Aron Gunnarsson won’t be playing. Nor will more seasoned athletes like Gylfi Sigurdsson or Birkir Bjarnason.
Ultimately, Iceland’s regular qualification campaign was a complete disaster. Israel is our pick to win at 2.25 odds. Eran Zahavi, who has 2.87 odds to score at any time, is the second choice. Zahavi has recently been in incredible form. The 36-year-old veteran has scored eight goals in his last six Maccabi Tel Aviv games.
In recent weeks, three of these eight goals have come in a Conference League doubleheader versus Olympiacos, the dominant team in Greece. In their past two qualifying matches against Slovakia and Portugal, Iceland allowed six goals. Given the high price tag, we think it makes a lot of sense to pick Zahavi to score on Thursday.
Israel vs Iceland: Head-to-Head
Who will win the match between Israel and Iceland?
Although it may not be enough to prevent defeat, Iceland can score against this Israel lineup, in our opinion. At the end of the ninety minutes, Israel emerged victorious in a close match. It needs to be a respectable one.
Our Prediction: Over 1.5 Goals
Recommended Prediction
What are the best odds for the game?
Looking at the game’s betting prices in the full-time outcome market, you can get 2.37 for an Israel win, 3.4 for a draw, and 3.36 for an Icelandic victory. These are the best options available right now.
