Local Soccer: Israeli's head to Moldova on a mission

After a dramatic comeback at home to draw the Swiss, Kashtan's team is now facing a must-win match.

By ALLON SINAI
Colautti 298.88 (photo credit: AP)
Colautti 298.88
(photo credit: AP)
Israel will leave for Moldova on Monday ahead of Wednesday's must-win 2010 World Cup qualifier in Chisinau. Ben Sahar's injury-time equalizer secured Israel one point from Saturday's opening qualifier against Switzerland in Ramat Gan, but despite coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 it was two points lost rather than one gained. The inability to claim home wins has proved costly for Israel time and again in recent years and a failure to take three points against Moldova will all but end the national team's hopes of qualification in just the first week of its 2010 campaign. "Of course we need to win our home matches, but sometimes in soccer things don't turn out as you plan," Israel and Bolton midfielder Tamir Cohen said on Sunday. Cohen also admitted that he can understand the fans who called for the resignation of coach Dror Kashtan during Saturday's match. "It's not pleasant to hear the supporters booing and calling for the coach's head, but I sympathize with them. They came to see us steamroll the Swiss. I hope that in future matches they will cheer us when the going gets tough." Of the match against Moldova, which key striker Roberto Colautti will miss through injury, Cohen said: "I don't know if the Moldovans 2-1 home loss to Latvia on Saturday will prove to be good for us, but I hope it dented their confidence and will make our job easier. "We have to beat Moldova if we want to maintain a reasonable chance of reaching the World Cup."