Belgium will look to kick-start their UEFA Nations League campaign with a win when they square up with Israel on Friday.
While it will be a home game for Belgium, they will be facing off against Israel in Hungary for security reasons. Since Italy and France are also a part of League A Group 2, the home team cannot afford to drop points against Israel if they want to go to the next round.
Domenico Tedesco will hope his team can turn things around in the UEFA Nations League after once again failing to go the distance at Euro 2024. They only won once in the group stage before being knocked out at the hands of France in the round of 16.
The home team will look to kick-start their campaign with a win as they aim for a top-two spot in the elite group of the UEFA Nations League to qualify for the quarter-finals. It is not going to be an easy task as Italy and France will also be hoping to make it to the next round.
Meanwhile, Israel have made it to the elite group after securing promotion by finishing top in League B in 2022. The visitors have n’t made it to a major tournament in 50 years. They lost 4-1 to Iceland in the playoff semi-finals for a spot in Euro 2024.
Before they focus on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Ran Ben Shimon’s team have a few important Nations League fixtures lined up. They are heading into this fixture against the Red Devils on the back of a 3-0 defeat to Hungary and a 4-0 win over Belarus.
While they have come a long way in the last few years, they are not on Belgium’s level and could find it difficult on Friday. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Belgium
Domenico Tedesco is yet to resolve his issues with Real Madrid shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois, who will not be a part of their squad for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku is also unavailable as he has been allowed to work on his fitness after securing a late move to Napoli.
Veteran centre-back Jan Vertonghen is back in the mix, but Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard misses out. The home team will go ahead with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Koen Casteels will be in goal. Timothy Castagne and Arthur Theate will be the full-backs, while Wout Faes and Koni De Winter will feature in the heart of the defence.
The backline will look for a clean sheet, and they will have the support of Aston Villa’s summer signing Amadou Onana and new Everton midfielder Orel Mangala, who will form the double pivot in front of the back four.
Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne will feature as the number 10, while Johan Bakayoko and Jeremy Doku will line up on the flanks. In Lukaku’s absence, Lois Openda is expected to lead the line for Belgium against Israel.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Casteels; Castagne, Faes, De Winter, Theate; Onana, Mangala; Bakayoko, De Bruyne, Doku; Openda
Israel
The visitors will be without the services of Dan Glazer, Sean Goldberg, and Shon Weissman. Apart from the trio, they have four uncapped players in the squad who could make their debut in this fixture.
Israel will also line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Belgium, with Yoav Gerafi in goal. Eli Dasa and Denny Gropper will be the full-backs for them, with Raz Shlomo and Idan Nachmias pairing up in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Gavriel Kanichowsky will form a double pivot alongside Dor Peretz. Manor Solomon will feature on the right flank, while Liel Abada will take charge on the left. Oscar Gloukh will be the attacking midfielder behind Tai Baribo, who will spearhead the Israeli attack against Belgium.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gerafi; Dasa, Shlomo, Nachmias, Gropper; Kanichowsky, Peretz; Solomon, Gloukh, Abada; Baribo
Key Stats
- Israel have lost four out of their last four outings against Belgium.
- Belgium’s best result in the Nations League is a fourth-placed finish which came back in 2021.
- The visitors have not made it to a major tournament finals in the last 50 years.
- The Red Devils have only won one out of their last four outings.
- Israel have three defeats in their last five outings.
Player to Watch
Jeremy Doku
Doku has gone from strength to strength since making the move to Manchester City last summer. He has been doing a great job for Pep Guardiola’s team. While he has been on the pitch for 292 minutes this season, the 22-year-old is yet to contribute towards a goal in the new campaign. He will look to get off the mark when the Red Devils host Israel on Friday.
Prediction
Belgium 3-1 Israel
Israel have made significant progress in recent years, but they are not on the level of Belgium. While the home team did not live up to the expectations at Euro 2024, they are unlikely to struggle in this outing. Domenico Tedesco’s team are expected to come out on top without much trouble, and The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the Red Devils.