Denmark v Israel Preview

Israel have not yet named their team to play Denmark in Copenhagen tomorrow night but there appears no truth to observations that the Israelis cannot find any players to face the Danes after last Saturday's 5-0 home defeat.

Denmark are near certainties to move into the finals after their first leg display against an Israeli side who were torn apart in a one sided game and have little to hope for except more of the same tomorrow night.

For the sake of long serving coach Schlomo Sharf it must be hoped that they can restore some credibility after their poor showing in front of 45,000 of their own fans at the weekend. The bitter disappointment has to be put to one side to at least try to resist the hard running Danish game and good finishing that wrecked Israel's dream of a first major finals since the Mexico World Cup of 1970.

Israel may make wholesale changes after their 5-0 mauling with eight players set to come into the side that failed to match some of the promises of a good group campaign in Euro 2000.

The paucity of Israel's display cannot take anything away from the Danish side in Tel Aviv that took an early lead in the first leg and then just accelerated past their pay-off opponents. Denmark are preparing for a big party tomorrow in front of their own fans as veterans like 1992 European championship winning captain Peter Schmeichel get to see some of the acclaim that recent displays - notably the wins on Israel and Italy - have earned the side. Danish football is back in confident mood after a difficult end to 1998 and Israel are likely to feel the full force of the celebrations.