Andorra v Israel background
Monday, September 1, 2014
Article summary
Andorra lost both of their previous meetings with Israel, but can take some encouragement from their opening UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group B home game.
Article top media content
Article body
Andorra can take some encouragement from their opening UEFA EURO 2016 home game as they play host to Israel in Group B.
Match background
• Andorra lost both their previous meetings with Israel, David Rodrigo's men suffering a 4-1 away defeat – staged in Nijmegen, the Netherlands – and a 2-0 home loss to Dror Kashtan's side in UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying.
• Andorra kicked off Group B with a 2-1 reverse at home to Wales but led for 16 minutes until Gareth Bale cancelled out Ildefons Lima's sixth-minute penalty.
• They had not scored in their preceding 18 competitive matches – and had not been in front in a competitive fixture since 13 October 2004, when they beat the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1-0 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
• The six games between Andorran and Israeli clubs in UEFA competition surprisingly include an Andorran win as well as five Israeli victories; FC Santa Coloma overcame Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC 1-0 in the first leg of a 2007/08 UEFA Cup first qualifying round tie, though they lost the return 4-0. It was the first win by an Andorran team in UEFA club competition.
• The nations' sole meeting in UEFA age-group tournaments was a 2-0 success for Israel's Under-18 side in 1999.
