Israel v Andorra background
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Article summary
The trail has gone cold for Israel since they won their opening three UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers, a meeting with Andorra presenting an opportunity to pull out of something of a nosedive.
Article top media content
Article body
Israel will look to get back on track in UEFA EURO 2016 Group B as they take on an Andorra side without a win or draw in 50 competitive games; 57 games have passed since Andorra's last victory.
Previous meetings
• Omer Damari scored a hat-trick for the visitors as Israel beat Andorra 4-1 in October. It was their third success in as many games against Andorra.
• David Rodrigo's Andorra also suffered 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.
Disciplinary
• Israel midfielder Sheran Yeini is absent as he begins a one-match ban. Tal Ben Haim I is a booking away from a suspension.
• Josep Ayala, Ivan Lorenzo, Cristian Martínez and Jordi Rubio are all a booking away from a suspension.
Form guide
• Having started their Group B campaign with three wins, Israel are now on a three-game losing streak in the section. They lost both of their most recent home qualifiers without scoring.
• Andorra and Gibraltar are the only sides who have lost all six of their opening UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers. Gibraltar have conceded 34 goals to Andorra's 23.
• Andorra are yet to avoid defeat in 46 UEFA European Championship games, and have lost 50 competitive matches in a row since drawing 0-0 with Finland in September 2005. They picked up five points in that 2006 World Cup qualifying tilt – five more than they have earned in any other qualifying campaign.
• Of Andorra's three Group B goals to date, two were Ildefons Lima penalties and one was an own goal.
Trivia and links
• Group B has proved to be the most competitive section in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying so far, with just six points separating the top five sides.
• Andorra coach Koldo Alvarez celebrates his 45th birthday on the day after the Israel game.
• 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.