Local Soccer: Under-21 team advances with draw

By ALLON SINAI
Israel's Under-21 team advanced to the European Championships playoff as one of the four best runners-up on Tuesday, drawing 0-0 with Germany in its final qualifier. The national team needed to win or draw by more than 2-2 in Duisburg to finish top of Group 9, but the one point it picked up on Tuesday still proved to be enough as results in the other nine groups went its way, ensuring the side is among the four best runners-up, which advance together with the 10 group winners. "I'm very proud of the players," said coach Moti Ivanir after the match. "We had some good and some not so good minutes, but the players fought throughout the encounter and they deserve to progress." The draw for the playoffs will take place in Malmo on Friday, with the first leg to be played on October 11 and the return leg four days later. Germany dictated the play at the start of the match and in the ninth minute Sami Khedira of Stuttgart should have given the hosts the lead, but instead sent his header wide of Ohad Levita's goal. Israel, which is gunning to reach its second straight European Championships, was content on catching the Germans on the break and very nearly did so as the match progressed. In the 19th minute, the ever-dangerous Gai Assulin released a powerful shot from outside the area, which was easily collected by the German keeper. Six minutes later, Yuval Avidor squandered the best scoring opportunity of the match. The Kiryat Shmona striker was put through by Toto Tamuz and, with only the keeper to beat, sent his shot wide of the upright. In injury-time Shiran Yeini could have given the team all three points when he found himself all alone two meters from goal. His amazing miss, however, would be of no importance as other results went Israel's way and the side advanced to the playoffs for a second straight time.