Cyprus v Israel background
Monday, September 1, 2014
Article summary
Cyprus made a positive start in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group A and will hope to press on towards France as they take on Israel for a 15th time.
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Article body
Cyprus will hope their luck has changed for good after kicking off UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group B with a shock away win; Israel will be eager to get off to a positive start.
Match background
• Israel have had the better of the sides' previous 14 meetings: W9 D3 L2.
• Israel won 2-1 in Nicosia in their last meeting with Cyprus, in FIFA World Cup qualifying on 17 November 2004, but had been without a win in their previous three visits (D1 L2).
• Cyprus kicked off Group B with a 2-1 away success against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Prior to that game, they had not scored in nine (competitive and friendly) matches. They had not won – home or away, competitive and friendly – in 13 games since a 1-0 win against Iceland on 11 September 2012. The win on 9 September ended a run of 16 matches without a competitive away win (D4 L12) since a 1-0 success in San Marino on 22 August 2007.
• Israel lost only one of their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying away games, winning two and drawing two.
• In UEFA age-group tournaments, Israel have the edge on Cyprus with the record W8 D3 L2.
• Cypriot clubs have had marginally the better of their 11 meetings with Israeli counterparts in UEFA competition: W4 D3 L3.
