Preview: Israel vs. Cyprus - prediction, team news, lineups

Two late goals against Zambia secured a 4-2 victory for Israel on Thursday evening, whereas Cyprus were defeated at home by Bulgaria on Wednesday ahead of a trip to the HaMoshava Stadium this weekend.

Match preview

Israel may have failed to make the World Cup after finishing behind Denmark and Scotland in their qualification group, but there is still a lot to look forward to for their supporters in the coming years and opportunities to compete at levels they have not always been able to.

A 2-1 win over Albania in their final Nations League game in September secured promotion to League A for the first time in the country's brief history in the competition, meaning they will pit their wits against the elite of European football in the 2024-25 edition.

Alon Hazan's men also have a real chance of qualifying for their first-ever European Championships next year as they enter a qualification group with Switzerland as the highest-ranked side, meaning Israel will fancy themselves to finish inside the top two.

Preparations for that qualification campaign have begun in this international window with two extremely late goals from Dan Leon Glazer and Itamar Shviro earning a victory over a Zambia side including the likes of Leicester City forward Patson Daka in the week.

Israel will want to avoid a repeat of Cyprus' last visit in 2015 when they were defeated 2-1 in a crucial Euro 2016 qualifier, a result that saw their dreams of beating Wales to a top-two spot in the group end.

Cyprus faced a completely different fate in the Nations League this autumn as they finished bottom of their group - below Northern Ireland in Group Two due to an inferior head-to-head record with Ian Baraclough's side - and now face a relegation playoff to avoid competing in League D in the competition's next edition.

Luckily for them, even if Cyprus are relegated they will not have to face off against the likes of San Marino and Liechtenstein in that competition until 2024, meaning they can instead focus on a European Championship qualification campaign which sees them in a group with Spain, Norway, Scotland and Georgia.

Sunday's trip to Israel is Cyprus' second and final match of this international break, having already lost 2-0 to Bulgaria this week at the AEK Arena in Larnaca.

Israel International Friendlies form:

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D

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Israel form (all competitions):

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W

D

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W

Cyprus International Friendlies form:

L

Cyprus form (all competitions):

D

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L

Team News

The late goalscorers for Israel on Thursday, Shviro and Glazer, both came off the bench to have an impact, with the duo likely to be rewarded with starts in this fixture.

Tai Baribo also scored against Zambia and is having a brilliant season for Wolfsberger AC in the Austrian Bundesliga, with the 24-year-old likely to lead the line for the Israelis once again this weekend.

Cyprus made a raft of changes at half time in the defeat to Bulgaria last time out and those who did not start on Wednesday should be given spots in the XI here as Temur Ketsbaia experiments with his squad.

A key player that will not be available for the visitors is left-back Nikolas Ioannou, who had to withdraw from the squad after breaking his cheekbone in a Serie B match for Como at the start of this month.

Israel possible starting lineup:

Glazer; Dasa, Vitor, Goldberg, Leidner; Lavi, Safuri, Karzev; Kanichowsky, Baribo, Shviro

Cyprus possible starting lineup:

Panayi; Spoljaric, Sielis, Laifis, Antoniou; Kastanos, Gogic, Kyriakou; Wheeler, Kakoullis, Pittas

We say: Israel 3-0 Cyprus

Israel are coming into this clash high on confidence after a dramatic win against a good Zambia side, and will be expected to make it back-to-back wins here.

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