Football: Israel name World Cup squad

Premiership stars Tamir Cohen, Yossi Benayoun and Tal Ben Haim head a 22-man squad named by manager Dror Kashtan for Israel’s last two World Cup qualifiers.

The Blues host Moldova in Ramat Gan on Saturday before finishing in Switzerland, knowing that only two victories will keep them in contention of reaching the 2010 finals in South Africa.

Israel currently lie fourth in Group C, behind Switzerland, Greece and Lativa.

Israel squad

Goalkeepers: Dudu Awat (RCD Mallorca), Nir Davidovich (Maccabi Haifa), Liran Strauber (Maccabi Tel Aviv).

Defenders: Dedi Ben-Dayan (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Dekel Keinan (Maccabi Haifa), Tal Ben-Haim (Portsmouth), Yoav Ziv (Lokeren), Avi Strul (Lokeren), Eyal Meshumar (Maccabi Haifa), Dean Mori (Bnei Yehuda), Klemi Saban (Maccabi Netanya).

Midfielders: Biram Kiyal (Maccabi Haifa), Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool), Aviram Bruchian (Betar Jerusalem), Avihai Yadin (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Tamir Cohen (Bolton), Gili Vermut (Hapoel Tel Aviv).

Forwards: Ben Sahar (Espanyol), Barak Itzhaki (Betar Jerusalem), Elyaniv Barda (Genk), Roberto Colautti (Borussia Monchengladbach), Itai Shechter (Hapoel Tel Aviv).