Austria vs Israel Predictions

• Austria have scored at least two goals in five of their eight World Cup qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
• Israel have conceded at least two goals in three of their last four away games.

Austria can exploit Israel’s defensive frailties

Both of the nations due to face off in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee on Friday can still qualify for the World Cup, but while Israel are in a much better position in Group F, Austria may have a greater possibility of getting to Qatar 2022.

The hosts need two nations from the trio of Spain, France and Wales to finish first or second in their respective qualifying groups in order to gain entry to the play-offs next March, which looks likely to happen. Israel need to hope Scotland don’t beat either Moldova away or Denmark at home in their next games while picking up maximum points from their last two fixtures – probably.

So Austria may actually be more relaxed going into Friday’s game than their opponents, who have outperformed them across the group and got a 5-2 win in Haifa when the sides met two months ago.

Franco Foda’s side committed too many defensive errors that night and were rightly punished by an Israel attack led by Eran Zahavi. Alongside Monor Solomon and Munus Dabbur, with Shon Weissmann coming off the bench, Zahavi has been the spearhead of an Israel team that has menaced all but Denmark in this group, although they can look very shaky at the back.

Blue and Whites must go for it

The Blue and Whites have conceded 11 goals in their last four games and concerningly three of those came in the 90th minute of games, suggesting some concentration or fitness issues.

Their best approach on Friday will be to go for it, but Austria will be ready to counter-attack them and could end their qualification hopes by doing so successfully. It is a risk that Willibald Ruttensteiner, their Austrian coach, will just have to take and it could give the home side plenty of space to exploit in their opponents’ half.

Both teams could end up on the scoresheet before too long, as happened in Haifa, but our preferred bet is to take Austria to score at least twice in this one. Foda has a fully fit squad to choose from and his team, despite their overall failure in Group F, have managed to score at least twice in five of their eight previous fixtures.

Israel have done themselves proud up to this point, but the pressure is really one them now and Friday’s task may be beyond them in terms of the win. The value in the correct score market lies in a 2-1 Austria win given Denmark are the only side to have scored more than once against the hosts in their last seven home fixtures.