Israel to face Northern Ireland in Rosh Hashanah friendly

Windsor Park to host match, which clashes with the second day of Jewish New Year

By Andrew Sherwood
  • Andrew Sherwood is the Jewish News Sport and Community Editor
19 February 2018, 1:04 pm
The two countries last played each other at Windsor Park in 2009, when they drew 1-1

Israel will travel to Belfast for an international friendly against Northern Ireland – on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

The scheduling of the match will mean many of those who would have liked to have supported the team, will be forced to miss out.

The match, which comes in between Israel’s UEFA Nations League campaign, will be the tenth meeting between the two countries, with the Israelis looking for just their second win.

Ireland manager Michael O’Neill said: “When we are looking at options for friendly matches we want teams that will challenge us and help us improve as a squad. Israel offer both of those things. This is an excellent game for us and we will use it to build on what will hopefully be a positive result against Bosnia.

The two countries last met in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in 2013, a 1-1 draw in Tel Aviv, and also played out a 1-1 draw in their last friendly match in 2009, which was also played at Windsor Park.

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