Mistrovství světa - kvalifikace FIFA - Mistrovství světa - kvalifikace 2026

Moldova fold in undignified Manor Ryan Fisher, 05.09.2025 22:39 Israel tightened their grip on second place in Group I of UEFA’s World Cup qualifiers (WCQ) by comfortably beating Moldova 4-0 in Chișinău, extending their all-time unbeaten H2H record to nine matches in the process. The Israelis’ superior quality was on show immediately, and they had their first sight of goal inside four minutes, when Tai Baribo was denied from an acute angle at the near post by Cristian Avram. Dan Biton then fired just over from long range, but the visitors duly found the breakthrough on the quarter-hour. The Moldova rearguard - which had conceded 20 times across six successive home WCQ losses - was unpicked by the magic of Manor Solomon, as he rounded off a slick counter by squaring across goal for Dor Peretz to slide home his first international strike since March 2023. For all of their control, Israel’s first goal came on the break - and so did their second, when Solomon got in on the act by sliding home at the near post after playing a give-and-go with Biton. That took his goal involvement tally to four across his last three H2Hs, and it proved psychologically devastating for Moldova, who managed just one shot of any description before the break. Indeed, only the heroics of Avram kept their deficit at two, as the goalkeeper rushed off his line to smother Solomon’s effort after he had been played through by Baribo. Unfortunately for the hosts, there was no change to the pattern of play following the restart, with Avram yet again called into action to tip Oscar Gloukh’s effort around the post. That proved only a temporary reprieve, as Baribo ended a 12-game international scoring drought by clinically finishing into the bottom corner having been played in by Eli Dasa. The home fans remained steadfast in their support, and while Moldova drastically improved after falling three goals behind, they remained unable to craft anything of note in the final third. Israel had no such issues, and after a lucky escape at the back, they netted for the fourth time. A catastrophic error in possession from the Moldovan backline was pounced upon by the visitors, who worked the ball for Gloukh to slide home and round off a brilliant night for Israel, who have now won five of their last six matches. Moldova, meanwhile, are winless in their last six outings and remain rock bottom of Group I.