Maccabi Haifa have made history by becoming the first Israeli side to qualify for the Champions League group stages and their match with Manchester United is expected to bring the country to a standstill. The success of the side is being hailed as the nation's greatest sporting achievement since Israel played in their only World Cup finals in Mexico in 1970.
Israel's streets are certain to be deserted when the game kicks-off and almost an entire country, whether Haifa supporters or not, will watch the game live on television. After qualifying for the group stages, Haifa coach Yitzhak Shum admitted: "It was like a dream, I felt the blood flowing through my body as the referee blew his whistle and we were through."
Filed by James Shortt
