Painful memory. 20 years ago (or on 13.2.2002 if you want to be precise) the Israeli team suffered one of its biggest defeats in history – 7: 1 against the German team. She still led 0-1 from an Idan Tal goal in the half at Kaiserslautern, but disintegrated completely afterwards and absorbed every 6 and a half minutes on average. Former association chairman Gavri Levy later spoke out and said coach Richard Mueller Nielsen had lost his job following the same loss.
Since then, the blue-and-whites have managed to lose again on German soil, this time only 2-0 to a bunch of Yogi Lev, but the same defeat from 2002 is still etched in memory. On Saturday, the team will face Germany again, with a temporary coach and a missing staff, in the hope that the scenario will not be repeated.
“The days before the game were not easy and the preparation was not ideal,” he recalled Asi Domb In that famous 7: 1, “Every practice they would lift a helicopter into the air that would accompany us to the field, the security was hallucinatory. We left the hotel in three buses so they did not know which bus we were traveling on.”
The brakeman and former captain Tal Ben Haim then made his first appearance in the national team uniform of the senior team. The day before the game, it was decided that he would open as a back contact. “Nielsen took me for a call and told me ‘I saw you in the youth against Bnei Yehuda and even though you lost on penalties, you played back contact and you were number 1 on the grass’. I believe in you in this role,” says Ben Chaim.
Players from the same team talk about peak enthusiasm in the half and a feeling that victory is in their pocket. The second half has already brought them back to reality. Klose (hat-trick), Haman, Birhoff, Osmoa and Riken scored on the way to an unforgettable defeat.
“20 years have passed and I remember this game in great detail,” he says Ilan Bachar“In the first half we stood excellent, we neutralized as much as we could. I took advantage of my speed after Benyon gave me an amazing pass and cooked for the Tal era. The feeling was supreme and reminded me of the success with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Europe. In the second half we absorbed a quick goal and fell apart, there is no other word. All my career, even in the kids, I didn’t get seven goals. I wanted to bury my head in the ground. “
Awat Was the only one who “earned” from this game. Although he suffered a seven, if not him, the team would have come down with a double-digit number of goals. Ramon Planes, once in Barcelona and at the time the strongest man in Santander was impressed. “He told me ‘I saw what I needed to see and if it weren’t for you, your team would have lost 14-1,'” Awat recalled.
Awat Also remember what was in the half of that game. “There were players who wanted to run away from this game and they had time to play half because a few days later there was an important game in the league. I was very angry about that. Players did not respect Nielsen who came to us then as European champion. If I went out in the half I had a score of ten. I, when I came to the team, always wanted to play in any situation. Not something in the first place. “
Shai Holtzman, Who was replaced in the half by Pini Balili when the scoreboard further showed an advantage for Israel, adds: “I remember taking a shower and going up to the stands and it was just a crush. I also felt uncomfortable. “Every time they wanted to, they won.” Yossi Rosen, Who came in as a replacement, added: “We felt humiliated.” Even Idan Tel Who scored the only goal in the game was shocked at the end: “The goal I scored was from heaven because the ball bounced not good for me at all and I was surprised to enter. This whole game was hallucinatory and symbolized Israeli football to this day. We led 1: 0 against a great team “It’s too comfortable and in front of such a team you must not feel too comfortable. I scored, but the feeling was horrible. My goal has no value. I was hurt by Nielsen because he did not deserve to end like this.”
Current national team coach Alon Harazi remembers this game well. He is now returning to Germany after recording 7 minutes back then in 2002, when the result was already 1: 7. We all hope he does not get to see a restoration, this time behind the lines.
