Romania will continue their unbeaten streak in Group I of Euro 2024 qualifying when they face Israel at the National Arena in Bucharest on Saturday night.
Israel, on the other hand, aims to secure their third consecutive victory in the qualifiers and climb up to the top two positions in the group standings.
After failing to qualify for Euro 2020, Romania has put themselves in a strong position to secure a spot in the 2024 edition in Germany. They have accumulated eight points from their first four matches.
In March, they secured victories against Andorra and Belarus. In June, they managed draws against Kosovo and Switzerland, with a dramatic late brace from Valentin Mihaila rescuing a point in a 2-2 draw against Switzerland.
Manager Edward Iordanescu has urged his players to approach the upcoming fixtures with maximum determination and focus in order to maintain their position in the top two of Group I.
The Romanian team, currently ranked 48th in the world by FIFA, boasts a five-game unbeaten run.
However, they have suffered two defeats in their last 10 international matches, both of which occurred on home soil – a 3-0 loss to Montenegro in June last year and a 2-1 defeat against Slovenia five months later.
Romania has remained undefeated in their previous two encounters with Israel, securing a 2-1 away win in March 2018 and a 2-2 draw in March 2022.
Israel, after a slow start with only one point from their first two Euro 2024 qualifiers, bounced back with back-to-back 2-1 wins against Belarus and Andorra in June.
Despite dominating possession against Andorra with 80%, Israel only managed nine shots on goal. However, Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon’s goal ensured they secured all three points.
Ranked 76th in the world by FIFA, Israel has never qualified for the European Championships before.
They currently sit in third place in Group I with seven points from four games, just one point behind Romania in second place and three points behind leaders Switzerland.
With upcoming fixtures against Belarus, Kosovo, and Andorra, a victory over Romania would boost Israel’s confidence in qualifying for their first major tournament since the 1970 World Cup.
Israel’s away form is concerning, with only two wins in their last nine international matches across all competitions.
Predicted Lineups:
Romania:
- Moldovan
- Manea
- Dragusin
- Burca
- Camora
- Screciu
- R. Marin
- Stanciu
- Hagi
- Puscas
- Coman
Israel:
- Glazer
- Dasa
- Goldberg
- Shlomo
- Revivo
- Safouri
- Peretz
- Abu Fani
- Solomon
- Weissman
- Abada
Predicted Outcome: Romania 2-1 Israel
Expect an exciting match as both teams have demonstrated their ability to score goals. Romania has found the net in eight of their last 10 internationals, while Israel has scored in 11 of their last 12 matches.
In a closely contested game, we predict that Romania will secure a narrow victory on home soil, solidifying their position in the top two of Group I.