Israel had received a bye into the group stage of the OFC section of the World Cup qualification, where they were competing for the second successive time, and for the third time altogether, not accounting for the pair of qualification tournaments where the OFC and the AFC confederations had joined together (ahead of the ’74 and ’78 World Cups). 

The joint managers, Itzhak Schneor and Ya’acov Grundman, were certainly not foreign to trying out various formations through the qualification group stage. Israel opened their campaign with a routine 1-0 home win against New Zealand, and little did they know at that point that Ronny Rosenthal’s early decider would give them their solitary win of the qualification. This is the only Israel qualifier which we have not had the opportunity to watch in full, but an educated guess suggests that they were in a 4-3-3 formation, as striker Eli Driks had been given a starting role, and most likely alongside Belgium based duo Rosenthal and Eli Ohana. 

Playing both of their home fixtures early on in the qualification, the Israelis next took on Australia, who had thrashed New Zealand 4-1 the weekend prior. It turned out to be a really hardfought game, in which the Israelis found Australia in resistant mood. They needed a favourable penalty decisison for a handball against the visitors’ Davidson to turn it in their favour, as Ohana dispatched the spot-kick for 1-0. Against a disciplined, tough opponent, though, the home side conceded late on from a terrific free-kick from distance, and although a three point return from their opening two fixtures was hardly a disaster, they’d have been somewhat disappointed not to have beaten what was considered their fiercest rival for the group’s top spot. 

After a three week break, and following New Zealand’s shock 2-0 win over Australia, Israel took on the Kiwis themselves, and managed a creditable 2-2 draw in difficult circumstances. Both sides had led during an enterprising opening 45 minutes, and the second half saw a couple of massive opportunities for the hosts, before the introduction of substitute Ohana saw Israel counter-attack at will. While they had been in 5-3-2 at home to the Aussies, they had started with Rosenthal as their sole striker in Auckland. With Ohana on, they abandoned their defensive stance somewhat, but could not quite get their numerous counters right. 

It had not mattered a whole lot if Israel had managed to win in New Zealand, unless they’d won by a scoreline of three goals or more. A single-goal margin defeat in Sydney would still have seen Australia finish atop, while a draw would see the Israelis through in either scenario. As it were, the managers had surprised the onlookers and probably even their opponents by removing two defenders who had both started all three of their previous qualifiers in Shlomo Iluz and David Pizanti, and instead reverted to a back four and four across the midfield. They were inferior possession-wise throughout the game, but it didn’t matter, as they shut the ineffective hosts out well, and even went ahead themselves five minutes before the break. Ohana it was who seized on a mistake at the back for the hosts to score a massive goal. Earlier, Rosenthal had been denied a clear penalty. In the final 45, Israel repelled the hosts with relative ease, until a late leveller by young substitute Trimboli. Still, a 1-1 scoreline was sufficient for the Israeli team, which finished top of the pile. 

That took them to the next stage of qualification, which was the intercontinental play-offs against winners of CONMEBOL confederation Group 2. With that qualification yet to take place, Schneor and Grundman would have to wait nearly half a year until they found out whether they’d be up against Colombia, Ecuador or Paraguay. 

Final phase

Israel eventually learnt that their opponents in the intercontinental play-offs were going to be Colombia, and so the Israeli management team knew that they would come up against a team with plenty of very technically gifted players, who at the same time were tight and well-organised at the back, and equipped with a potential goal threat through 32 year old marksman Iguarán up top. Firstly, they would need to travel to the Colombian Pacific coast, where Barranquilla would provide the backdrop for the first of the two legs. 

There were few changes from Israel’s final group stage qualification match, but throughout the group stage had their management team struggled for consistency in one of their defensive positions. Incidentally, the number 5 shirt had appeared to be difficult to fill, as three different players had worn it across the four fixtures back in March and April. Now, in Colombia, yet another one had come in: New libero Nissim Barda. A seasoned defender at 33, he was picked for his first Italia ’90 qualifier. 

In their 4-4-2, or actually something akin to 4-2-2-2, to defragment their midfield somewhat, they sat back just like had been expected, and invited the hosts on to them. The idea was to remain compact defensively, and try and hold the opposition off. It was always going to be a big ask to do so for two times 45 minutes, but they did not concede a great deal of chances, although they did owe to ‘keeper Ginzburg for a terrific one-hand stop from a Redín shot from distance during the first half. 

They did not manage to implement those swift breaks which had been on display during the away leg in Australia, as both Rosenthal and Ohana were effectively dealt with. And in midfield, the Israelis could rarely hold on to possession for long. Despite being well dominated for possession, though, they only allowed that solitary goal which Colombian second half substitute Usuriaga pot into the back of the net from close range after a one-two with the tasty Fajardo. 

There were certainly still opportunities for Israel to reach the World Cup despite that one goal deficit. They did start a little hesitantly in the home leg, but again, their opponents could not carve out any real opportunities, and it had been the hosts through Tikva and Klinger who had come the closest during the first half. To many’s astonishment, star striker Ohana had been left out, with Levin, also Belgium based, having been given a starting chance alongside Rosenthal. He did not really justify his selection, and Ohana, possibly not 100 % fit still, was brought on early in the second half. 

Israel lay siege on the opponents for the final 45 minutes, and they arrived at a couple of major opportunities, first and foremost to Rosenthal, who failed to convert a Klinger cross right after Ohana’s introduction. Tikva had a shot just wide, and Sinai saw a long range free-kick kiss the outside of the upright, before Rosenthal towards the end failed to lob Higuita from inside the area. 

They had given it a proper go, had Israel, but ultimately they came short. Their inability to find the back of the net was what had cost them, and they exited after a 1-0 aggregate scoreline. However, they had gone toe to toe with a very decent Colombian side, and had absolutely no reason to be ashamed of their performances in either leg.