Israel's Benayoun, Ben Haim to miss Euro 2008 qualifier
TEL AVIV (AP) - Israel will be without two star players - West Ham United
midfield Yossi Benayoun and Bolton Wanderers defender Tal Ben Haim - for
Saturday's European Championship qualifier against Macedonia.
Benayoun and Ben Haim are both suspended for the match in Skopje after
picking up yellow cards in Israel's last game against England in March.
Israel coach Dror Kashtan said he was mindful of a Macedonia team that
held England to a 0-0 draw last October.
"We all want to beat Macedonia, it is one of the important games
in the campaign," Kashtan said. "But Macedonia is a team with
a few number of players who play in Europe and a physical and quick team."
Goalkeeper Dudu Awat, who will fill in as captain in Benayoun's absence,
said it would be a tough game without two key players, "but I believe
the players that are here will do the job."
"We are only thinking about winning. If we don't beat Macedonia,
it will be the end of the story for our campaign," he said. "We
are favourites but we must not forget we are talking about a team which
gave England a hard time."
Israel is in second place in Group E with 11 points, while Macedonia is
fifth with seven points.
