Benayoun and Ben Haim earn surprise recalls to Israel squad
Veterans named for Moldova friendly and Albania World Cup qualifier.
Andrew Sherwood is the Jewish News Sport and Community Editor
Yossi Benayoun and Tal Ben Haim have been recalled by Israeli manager Elisha Levy for two matches next month.
The two former Premier League players haven’t appeared for their national squad in more than a year, with Benayoun, 37, making his first appearance since March 2016, and Ben Haim, 35, last being in the squad in October 2015.
Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Beram Kayal is also included in the squad, though his teammate, striker Tomer Hemed and Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton have been omitted.
Israel host Moldava in Netanya on 6 June, before facing Albania in Haifa five days later in a World Cup qualifier.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers:
Dudu Goresh (Hapoel Beer Sheva), Omri Glazer (Maccabi Haifa), Danny Amos (Maccabi Petach Tikva)
Defenders:
David Keltjens (Beitar Jerusalem), Taleb Tawatha (Frankfurt), Shir Tzedek (Hapoel Beer Sheva), Omer Danino (Maccabi Petach Tikva), Tal Ben Haim (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Eli Dasa (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Avi Rikan (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Eitan Tibi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
Midfielders:
Dan Einbinder (Beitar Jerusalem), Idan Vered (Beitar Jerusalem), Beram Kayal (Brighton & Hove Albion), Lior Refaelov (Club Brugges), Bibras Nathko (CSKA Moscow), Almog Cohen (Ingolstadt), Yossi Benayoun (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Eyal Golasa (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Gidi Kanyuk (Maccabi Petach Tikva), Manor Solomon (Maccabi Petach Tikva)
Strikers::
Itay Shechter (Beitar Jerusalem), Eran Zahavi (Guangzhou), Ben Sahar (Hapoel Beer Sheva).Tal Ben Haim II (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
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