Andorra will be looking to end a tough Euro 2024 qualification campaign on a positive note when they welcome Israel to the Estadi Nacional in Andorra la Vella on Tuesday night.
The home side are bottom of Group I, picking up just two points from their nine matches in the section, while Israel are third and can no longer qualify for next summer's European Championship through this group, but they will be seeded in the UEFA Nations League B playoffs.
Match preview
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Andorra have never qualified for the finals of a major tournament, so it is not a surprise that they have struggled to make an impression in this group, sitting bottom with two points from nine matches.
Koldo Alvarez's side have scored just three times in the section and conceded 18, and they will enter this match off the back of four straight losses to Switzerland, Kosovo, Romania and Belarus.
Andorra have only ever won one qualification match for a European Championship, which came during their attempts to secure a spot at Euro 2020, and this will be their final chance to pick up a victory in this campaign.
The Tricolours have taken points off Kosovo and Belarus in this group, while they were only narrowly beaten by Belarus on Saturday, with Denis Laptev's goal deciding the contest in the latter stages.
Andorra have not actually been victorious since September 2022, when they beat Liechtenstein in the UEFA Nations League, so a win on Tuesday evening would be a huge moment for the national side.
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Israel, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 home loss to Romania, which made it three games without a victory in this qualification section.
The Chosen Team have won three, drawn three and lost three of their nine matches in the group to collect 12 points, which has left them in third position, seven points behind second-placed Switzerland.
Alon Hazan's side cannot therefore claim an automatic qualification spot to next summer's European Championship, but their hopes are not over, with the national side being confirmed in the playoffs.
Israel have never qualified for the finals of a European Championship, so it would be a huge achievement if they were able to secure a spot in Germany.
The Chosen Team have previous when it comes to competing in a major tournament, though, having qualified for the finals of the 1970 World Cup, being eliminated in the group stage.
Team News
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Andorra have not reported any injury problems from their clash with Belarus last time out, and it was a positive performance, so head coach Alvarez is unlikely to make sweeping changes here.
There might be an alteration in the final third of the field, though, with Aaron Sanchez potentially coming in for Cucu, who played the first 66 minutes of the contest with Belarus.
Marc Vales is the leading goalscorer in the squad with five, and the 33-year-old should again line up in a defensive position, with 39-year-old captain Marcio Vieira set to continue in midfield.
Israel, meanwhile, also do not have any injury or suspension issues ahead of this contest.
Tai Baribo has scored three times for his country and could now be introduced in the final third of the field, but the line is again expected to be led by the vice-captain Eran Zahavi, who is comfortably the leading goalscorer in the squad with 34.
Dor Turgeman could again be given another chance to impress in a forward area, while teenage attacker Oscar Gloukh, who is being heavily linked with a number of major European clubs, should also start for the visitors.
Andorra possible starting lineup:
Alvarez; De Pablos, Llovera, Vales, Pomares, Cervos; Alaez, Reves, Vieira, Martinez; Sanchez
Israel possible starting lineup:
Glazer; Dasa, Vitor, Goldberg, Revivo; Peretz, Lavi; Baribo, Gloukh, Turgeman; Zahavi
We say: Andorra 0-2 Israel
Andorra have been competitive in a number of matches in this section, and we are again expecting that to be the case in this game. Israel's form ahead of this contest is slightly disappointing, but we are still backing the visitors to pick up all three points in their final match in Group I.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
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