Austria continue their pursuit of a place at Qatar 2022 on Saturday, as they visit Israel in the second match of their World Cup qualifying triple-header.
The pair are direct rivals for a probable playoff place; locked together on seven points apiece in the Group F table - five points adrift of leaders Denmark.
Match preview
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After advancing from the group stage of Euro 2020 - the first time their nation had done so at any major tournament since the 1982 World Cup - the current Austria side have ambitions to reach next year's global finals.
In fact, the Alpine nation have not qualified for the main event since France '98, but German coach Franco Foda is determined to lead his team all the way to the Middle East following a close call in the knockout stages this summer. Having finished second in Group C at the Euros, Austria pushed eventual champions Italy all the way in the last 16, before ultimately losing 2-1 in extra time.
Despite such crushing disappointment, Das Team bounced back upon their return to competitive action on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Moldova in Chisinau, by virtue of goals at the end of either half by Christoph Baumgartner and Marko Arnautovic.
That followed a mixed start to their qualifying campaign, as Foda's men claimed only four points from their opening trio of matches last spring - including a 4-0 thumping by Denmark on home soil.
Captain and talisman David Alaba was named on the bench in midweek, but the six-time Austrian Footballer of the Year made a brief cameo in his first international appearance since swapping Bayern Munich for Real Madrid.
Though opinion remains divided over where his talents are best utilised by the team - having previously featured at left-back, in central midfield and on both flanks - the former Austria Vienna star is an integral part of the effort to mount a push for the playoffs.
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Alongside Saturday's visitors and Scotland, Israel are the main contenders for second spot in Group F, having matched Austria's four-point haul in the first phase of qualifying last March and subsequently followed up with victory against the Faroe Islands this week.
Eran Zahavi's hat-trick helped them to a 4-0 win in Torshavn on Wednesday; building positive momentum ahead of this weekend's potentially pivotal clash.
After defeat in their opening match of the process against flawless Denmark, Israel then claimed a point against Scotland with a 1-1 draw in Tel Aviv, before brushing aside group minnows Moldova.
However, things are set to get tougher for Willi Ruttensteiner's squad in the coming days, as they now return to base for a challenging game with the Austrians in Haifa, then head for Denmark next Tuesday.
Amid a difficult time for the country, Ruttensteiner has spoken of the impact a unified Israel team, derived from all backgrounds, can have on the nation and its diverse population. A home win on Saturday night would surely bring fans from across the spectrum together for 90 minutes at least.
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Team News
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Austria started with star man David Alaba on the bench in Moldova, but he is set to start in midfield for Franco Foda's side on Saturday, though could also be considered to replace Andreas Ulmer at left-back.
Last week, captain Julian Baumgartlinger pulled out of the squad due to a recurring knee injury, while Marcel Sabitzer also misses out due to a groin problem.
In their absence, Florian Grillitsch and Louis Schaub may feature behind a front pair comprising Marko Arnautovic and Augsburg striker Michael Gregoritsch.
The hosts, meanwhile, have included two players who have been embroiled in off-field controversy - Omer Atzili and Hoffenheim forward Munas Dabbur - in their squad and the latter will start up front on Saturday, following his goal in midweek.
A number of young players have been called up too, with Celtic forward Liel Abada and defenders Ofri Arad and Ori Dahan both involved, with Arad now hoping for a starting opportunity after featuring as a substitute against the Faroes.
The experienced trio of Dabbur, Bibras Natkho and Eran Zahavi will drive the Israeli attacking effort up front.
Israel possible starting lineup:
Marciano; Arad, Tibi, Dgani, Nasa; Natkho, Peretz, Menahem, Solomon; Zahavi, Dabbur
Austria possible starting lineup:
Bachmann; Lainer, Dragovic, Hinteregger, Ulmer; Grillitsch; Laimer, Alaba, Baumgartner; Gregoritsch, Arnautovic
We say: Israel 1-2 Austria
Though Israel's forward line is sure to present Austria with some serious challenges - particularly on home soil - the visitors possess a great understanding forged through the past few years.
Alaba and Arnautovic bring a cutting edge that will be hard for the home side to match too, so the Austrians are set to go clear of their counterparts in the race for a top-two place.
Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Austria win with a probability of 49.87%. A win for Israel had a probability of 25.35% and a draw had a probability of 24.8%.
The most likely scoreline for an Austria win was 0-1 with a probability of 10.91%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (9.52%) and 0-2 (8.82%). The likeliest Israel win was 1-0 (7.28%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.77%). The actual scoreline of 5-2 was predicted with a 0.1% likelihood.
