EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2014/16 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Sammy Ofer Stadium - Haifa Saturday 28 March 2015 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Israel Group B - Matchday -8 Wales Last updated 12/07/2021 17:27CET Official Partners of UEFA EURO 2020 Previous meetings 2 Match background 3 Squad list 4 Head coach 6 Match officials 7 Competition facts 8 Match-by-match lineups 9 Team facts 11 Legend 13 1 Israel - Wales Saturday 28 March 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa Previous meetings Head to Head FIFA World Cup Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached Allchurch 76, Jones 05/02/1958 PO Wales - Israel 2-0 Cardiff 80 Allchurch 38, Bowen 15/01/1958 PO Israel - Wales 0-2 Ramat Gan 65 Final Qualifying Total tournament Home Away Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA EURO Israel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wales - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FIFA* Israel 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 - - - - 2 0 0 2 0 4 Wales 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 - - - - 2 2 0 0 4 0 Friendlies Israel - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 0 2 0 3 3 Wales - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 0 2 0 3 3 Total Israel 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 - - - - 4 0 2 2 3 7 Wales 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 - - - - 4 2 2 0 7 3 * FIFA World Cup/FIFA Confederations Cup 2 Israel - Wales Saturday 28 March 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa Match background Israel come into 2015 with an unblemished record in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group B and can feel optimistic as they seek a first victory against Wales. Previous meetings • Israel are yet to win against Wales in four meetings (D2 L2), though the sides have not locked horns since a 3-3 draw in Ramat Gan on 8 February 1989. • Their most notable meetings came in a play-off for the 1958 FIFA World Cup finals, with Wales winning both legs 2-0 to earn a place in Sweden – their only World Cup finals campaign to date. Form guide • Israel are one of four teams who boast a 100% record in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying, along with Slovakia, the Czech Republic and England, though they have played only three qualifiers so far. • Israel are unbeaten in five competitive home games (W2 D3) since a 4-0 loss to Russia on 11 September 2012. • Wales are unbeaten in six competitive matches (including three away fixtures – W1 D2) since a 3-0 defeat in Serbia on 10 September 2013. Trivia and links • Israel have never won four successive games in a single qualifying campaign; their only run of four straight competitive victories to date spanned the end of their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign and the start of their UEFA EURO 2008 tilt. • Wales defenders Danny Gabbidon and Ashley Williams are both one cap shy of 50 appearances for their country. • Israel defender Tal Ben Haim (I) plays alongside Welsh international Simon Church at Charlton Athletic FC. • In the only meeting between the nations' clubs in UEFA competition, Maccabi Haifa FC beat Cwmbran Town FC 3-0 home and away in the 2003/04 UEFA Cup qualifying round. 3 Israel - Wales Saturday 28 March 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa Squad list Israel Current season Overall Qual. FT Team No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers H. Kiryat - Guy Haimov 09/03/1986 29 - 0 0 0 0 1 - Shmona M. - Ariel Harush 25/05/1988 26 - 0 0 0 0 7 - Netanya - Ofir Marciano 07/10/1989 25 Ashdod - 3 0 0 0 3 - Defenders - Tal Ben Haim I 31/03/1982 32 Charlton - 3 0 0 0 83 1 M. Tel- - Eytan Tibi 16/11/1987 27 - 3 0 0 0 19 - Aviv - Orel Dgani 08/01/1989 26 M. Haifa - 0 0 0 0 - - - Taleb Twatha 21/06/1992 22 M. Haifa - 1 0 0 0 4 - M. Tel- - Omri Ben Harush 07/03/1990 25 - 2 0 0 0 8 - Aviv - Rami Gershon 12/08/1988 26 Gent - 0 0 0 0 19 2 Beitar - Eliazer Dasa 03/12/1992 22 - 0 0 0 0 - - Jerusalem Midfielders Club - Lior Refaelov 26/04/1986 28 - 3 0 0 0 33 5 Brugge CSKA - Bebras Natcho 18/02/1988 27 - 3 0 0 0 35 1 Moskva H. Beer - Maor Buzaglo 14/01/1988 27 - 0 0 0 0 16 1 Sheva - Beram Kayal 02/05/1988 26 Brighton - 0 0 0 0 25 1 M. Tel- - Sheran Yeini 08/12/1986 28 - 2 0 0 0 12 - Aviv M. Tel- - Eran Zahavi 25/07/1987 27 - 3 1 0 0 23 3 Aviv - Nir Biton 30/10/1991 23 Celtic - 3 0 0 0 10 - Forwards H. Beer - Elyaniv Barda 15/12/1981 33 - 0 0 0 0 35 11 Sheva - Tomer Hemed 02/05/1987 27 Almería - 1 1 0 0 15 10 - Omer Damari 24/03/1989 26 Leipzig - 3 5 0 0 17 9 - Etey Shechter 22/02/1987 28 M. Haifa - 2 0 0 0 23 4 - Ben Sahar 10/08/1989 25 Willem II - 0 0 0 0 33 6 M. Tel- - Tal Ben Haim II 05/08/1989 25 - 3 1 0 0 10 2 Aviv Coach - Eli Gutman 24/02/1958 57 - 3 0 0 0 24 - 4 Israel - Wales Saturday 28 March 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa Wales Current season Overall Qual. FT Team No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers Crystal - Wayne Hennessey 24/01/1987 28 - 4 0 0 0 47 - Palace - Owain Williams 17/03/1987 28 Tranmere - 0 0 0 0 - - - Danny Ward 22/06/1993 21 Liverpool - 0 0 0 0 - - Defenders - James Collins 23/08/1983 31 West Ham - 0 0 0 0 44 3 - David Edwards 03/02/1986 29 Wolves - 1 0 0 0 27 3 - Sam Ricketts 11/10/1981 33 Wolves - 0 0 0 0 52 - - Chris Gunter 21/07/1989 25 Reading - 4 0 0 0 57 - - Neil Taylor 07/02/1989 26 Swansea - 4 0 0 0 20 - - Ashley Williams 23/08/1984 30 Swansea - 4 0 0 0 49 1 - Ben Davies 24/04/1993 21 Tottenham - 2 0 0 0 12 - - Adam Henley 14/06/1994 20 Blackburn - 0 0 0 0 - - - Declan John 30/06/1995 19 Cardiff - 0 0 0 0 2 - Midfielders - David Vaughan 18/02/1983 32 Nottm Forest - 0 0 0 0 38 1 Crystal - Joe Ledley 23/01/1987 28 * 4 0 0 0 55 3 Palace - Gareth Bale 16/07/1989 25 Real Madrid - 4 2 0 0 48 14 - Shaun MacDonald 17/06/1988 26 Bournemouth - 0 0 0 0 1 - - Aaron Ramsey 26/12/1990 24 Arsenal - 2 0 0 0 32 8 - Joe Allen 14/03/1990 25 Liverpool * 2 0 0 0 19 - - Tom Lawrence 13/01/1994 21 Leicester - 0 0 0 0 - - Forwards - David Cotterill 04/12/1987 27 Birmingham - 2 1 0 0 22 2 - Simon Church 10/12/1988 26 Charlton - 3 0 0 0 29 2 - Sam Vokes 21/10/1989 25 Burnley - 0 0 0 0 31 6 - Hal Robson-Kanu 21/05/1989 25 Reading - 3 1 0 0 24 2 Coach - Chris Coleman 10/06/1970 44 - 4 0 0 0 22 - 5 Israel - Wales Saturday 28 March 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa Head coach Eli Gutman Date of birth: 24 February 1958 Nationality: Israeli Playing career: Hapoel Haifa FC, Beitar Netanya FC, Maccabi Neve Shanan FC, Maccabi Kiryat Bialik FC Coaching career: Maccabi Kiryat Bialik FC, Beitar Haifa FC, Maccabi Tirat Carmel FC, Maccabi Tamra FC, Hapoel Zafririm Holon FC, Maccabi Herzliya FC, Hapoel Beit Sha'an FC, Hapoel Beer-Sheva FC (twice), Hapoel Haifa FC (twice), Beitar Jerusalem FC, Hapoel Petach-Tikva FC, Enosis Neon Paralimni FC, Maccabi Netanya FC, AEL Limassol FC, Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC • Had a low-key career as a midfielder before hanging up his boots aged 28, moving into coaching with fifth division Maccabi Kiryat Bialik FC. Completed a sports science degree and became a teacher, while also coaching in local soccer after national service as a naval officer. • Gutman's first taste of top-flight football came in 1990 when he spent two years as assistant coach at Maccabi Haifa. Won his first major honour in 1997, leading Hapoel Beer-Sheva to Israeli State Cup success. • Returned to boyhood club Hapoel Haifa in 1997, clinching a league championship two years later. • Indifferent stints at Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Petach-Tikva preceded successful spells with Cypriot sides Paralimni and AEL. Responded to bottom-of-the-table Hapoel Tel-Aviv's rescue call in 2007, steering the team to seventh position and the State Cup final. • A dramatic climax to 2009/10 brought the league and cup double in a three-day period. At the start of the next term, Hapoel emerged through three qualifying rounds to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time. In December 2011, he was appointed Israel coach on a two-year deal, an arrangement that was extended in January 2014 to cover the UEFA EURO 2016 campaign. Chris Coleman Date of birth: 10 June 1970 Nationality: Welsh Playing career: Manchester City FC, Swansea City AFC, Crystal Palace FC, Blackburn Rovers FC, Fulham FC Coaching career: Fulham FC, Real Sociedad de Fútbol, Coventry City FC, Larissa FC, Wales • A solid defender, Coleman came through the youth ranks at Manchester City but started his career in earnest with home-town team Swansea, where he won Welsh Cups in 1989 and 1991.