Israel defeated Estonia 2-1 over the weekend to kick off its 2026 World Cup campaign on the right foot.
The blue-and-white conceded an early goal but equalized soon after, with captain Eli Dasa scoring the winner in the 75th minute to secure all three points for Ran Ben Shimon’s squad.
With the home game played at Debrecen’s Nagyerdei Stadion due to the ongoing security situation in Israel, the visitors struck first as Maksim Pakotsi scored off a dead-ball play in the 10th minute to give Estonia a quick 1-0 lead. However, Israel pressed hard for the equalizer and found it less than a quarter-hour later when Dan Biton’s scorching shot from the top of the box hit the post, caromed off Karl Hein, and into the Estonian goal to level the score at 1-1.
Oscar Gloukh and Manor Solomon, who play their club soccer for Red Bull Salzburg and Leeds United, respectively, had plenty of chances but couldn’t find the back of the net. The same was true for Muhammed Abu Fani and Biton, as Israel struggled to find the go-ahead goal – until captain Eli Dasa came to the rescue.
Solomon sent a perfect ball to the wingback, who finally broke the deadlock, scoring his first-ever goal for the national team and securing three points in dramatic fashion.
Israel faces Norway
Next up for Israel is a matchup on Tuesday against Norway, which not only smashed Moldova 5-0 but also features Manchester City star Erling Haaland. Ben Shimon’s team will look to close out the first window of matches with maximum points.
“A lot of things went wrong in the game,” Ben Shimon admitted. “This is a tough opponent that will make life difficult for other teams. But overall, we were fine, and I have no doubt that we will improve without the pressure of this being the first game. It’s a very important victory, which also keeps us grounded as we now turn our sights to the next match. As for set pieces, we will make adjustments, but it should also be noted that it’s very difficult to play against ten people standing behind the ball in a defensive setup.”
Ben Shimon also praised his captain for scoring the winning goal.
“His talk with the players before the game already showed where this match was going for him. He is a real captain. He deserves all the success in the world because he works so hard.”
Dasa, who dedicated the goal to his daughter and celebrated by kissing the Israel emblem on his jersey, spoke about the goal’s significance.
“It’s a dream come true. I’m very emotional because, after 66 appearances, scoring my first goal for the national team is every kid’s dream. I fulfilled a childhood dream, and I’m happy that it came in a victory. I’m very excited – it’s the most incredible feeling. I’m just a humble person, and if the goal hadn’t helped us win this game, you wouldn’t have heard a word about it.”
“I’m happy for this team and that I was able to contribute,” Dasa continued. “I always believed that by doing the right things, good would come of it. This was a tough game, even though some people thought playing Estonia would be a walk in the park. I do not agree with that. I wanted to make sure no one here was complacent about games where, on paper, we are the favorites.”
The defender also looked ahead to Israel’s next test against Norway.
“Just as many thought Estonia would be an easy game and that we’d take three points and enjoy ourselves, the same is true for Norway. They are an excellent team, and this will be a completely different kind of match. Now, it’s time to recover and prepare.”
Solomon reflected on assisting Dasa’s goal and the upcoming challenge.
“Eli made a great move to score, and we talked about the possibility at halftime. I’m the happiest person in the world that he scored, but the most important thing is that we won – it was tough but incredibly sweet. We started the game well but missed a chance and then conceded, which took away some of our confidence. After we made it 1-1, I knew in my heart that we would win.
“We will now analyze the game, recover, and start preparing for Norway, which will be a completely different match against some of the best players in the world. We will be ready.”
