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

After falling to defeat in Kosovo on Sunday, anything but a win will make automatic progression extremely difficult for Israel, while the Swiss will seal a place at next summer's finals with a win.

Match preview

Israel come into this clash knowing they need a win to keep their fate in their own hands heading into the final two matchdays to come.

That is following a slightly surprising slip-up in Pristina on Sunday as Alon Hazan's side looked bogged down on a terrible surface in Kosovo and lost 1-0.

The result now means Israel have lost seven of their last 11 games outside their home country, and given the conflict back home, this game will also be played away in neutral Hungary.

Israel played themselves into contention during the June and September internationals, taking 10 points from 12 available, but the postponement of their games in October on safety grounds makes the challenge extremely difficult as they must play all of their remaining games this week.

They have struggled against the stronger sides in the group though, as their three wins came against Belarus (twice) and Andorra.

Hazan will need to change that if Israel want to reach the Euros for the first time, and compete in just a second major tournament after the 1970 World Cup.

Another defeat against the top-seeded side in the section here will not definitely end their hopes of progression though, as they would remain five points behind Romania, who they then face on matchday nine.

Israel would then need a favour off Switzerland who play Romania a few days later, and hope they can get the job done themselves against Andorra.

The logistics are much more simple for the Swiss, win here and their spot at the finals in nearby Germany next year will be confirmed.

That is despite a very underwhelming qualifying section which sees them enter the final window in second behind Romania.

A defeat here would threaten Switzerland's chances of qualifying automatically greatly though, and they have slipped up on more than one occasion in this section.

Having led in games against Romania and Belarus at home and away to Kosovo, Switzerland failed to win any of them, dropping points often in calamitous circumstances.

An injury-time double from Valentin Mihaila saw the Swiss throw away a 2-0 lead against Romania, before Vedat Muriqi also snatched a point for Kosovo in the 94th-minute when they met in Pristina.

In Switzerland's only qualifier in October, they inexplicably almost lost at home to Belarus, and were very fortunate to claim a draw having entered the 89th minute 3-1 down.

Switzerland have only missed one major tournament in two decades - Euro 2012 - but the odds are heavily stacked in their favour with three matches still to play.

It could all be done and dusted here, but a defeat makes it highly likely that it could go down to the final matchday where they will face Romania, and should that happen, manager Murat Yakin will start to feel the heat even more from a nation that is not wholly convinced in his leadership.

Israel Euro Champ Qualifying form:

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Switzerland Euro Champ Qualifying form:

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Team News

Israel will be without Roy Revivo after he was sent off in injury time against Kosovo on Sunday.

A first-half injury to Sagiv Yehezkel is also a huge blow given the form he has been showing for club side Antalyaspor in recent weeks.

Gabi Kanichowsky replaced him in Pristina, and saw Eran Zahavi move up front, and a similar switch could be made from the start here.

Manor Solomon is absent as he recovers from an injury which will likely see the Tottenham Hotspur man miss the rest of 2023, while Celtic's Liel Abada is also currently sidelined.

Switzerland manager Yakin is able to call upon goalkeeper Gregor Kobel after injury ruled him out of October's break, while Eray Comert and Filip Ugrinic have also come back into the fold.

Djibril Sow, Jordan Lotomba and Breel Embolo are among the main injury absentees, while Haris Seferovic, Steven Zuber and Silvan Widmer continue to be overlooked.

Key players Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka and Manuel Akanji are all in the squad and should feature from the start.

Israel possible starting lineup:

Glazer; Lavi, Miguel Vitor, Goldberg, Dasa; Safuri, Abu Fani, Do. Peretz; Gloukh, Zahavi, Kanichowsky

Switzerland possible starting lineup:

Sommer; Fernandes, Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka, Zakaria; Shaqiri, Amdouni, Vargas

We say: Israel 0-2 Switzerland

The nations met in 2006 and 2010 World Cup qualifying, drawing all four matches, but a 3-0 win in Geneva in March shows the quality Switzerland have over Israel, and given the issues surrounding the designated home team here, they will find it tough.

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