UEFA Euro 2012: Benayoun Hat-Trick Sets Israel on Right Track

ISR 3-1 MLT

Ramat Gan

A hat-trick from new Chelsea signing Yossi Benayoun has edged his country to a victory over Malta, in what was only the second in a long line of UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying fixtures over the next year-and-a-half.

Like Estonia and the Faroe Islands a few weeks ago, the two teams would have had a boost in the amount of international attention that they recieve due to being the only game of the day. Israel would want to win this match to make a statement about their ability to qualify for a major tournament for the first time since 1970 and their first-ever European Championship, and got off to a flying start through Yossi Benayoun (7′). Malta, though, would want to prove that they are no pushovers, and an equaliser would come via Jamie Pace’s header (38′). The second half would see the better opportunities go to the home team though, and it was the captain Benayoun who grabbed two more goals for his country (64′(p), 75′). The result, for a day at least, sends Israel top of Group F, and Malta bottom.

The other teams in Group F, Croatia, Greece, Latvia, and Georgia, will play their matches tonight, alongside no less than 20 other fixtures to be played this evening in the Qualification campaign. For the teams on the British Isles, Republic of Ireland will start the evening with an early kick-off away to Armenia, while Wales will visit Montenegro. Lithuania play host to Scotland, while England begin their campaign at home to Bulgaria, and Northern Ireland visit Slovenia. For almost all of the teams, it will be the first of 8 or 10 games (with two more shoud they be in the Play-Off Round) that will form the result of their efforts to reach the tournament in Ukraine and Poland in 2012.