Losing the Game, Winning the Match
 Israel’s
national soccer team caused a stir in Ukraine and made an excellent impression
on Wednesday, August 14, 2013.
As the national anthems were played prior to a friendly match in the
country the Israelis shielded a group of children lined up in front of
them on the field from the blistering cold and the rain, while the Ukrainian
team appeared to be indifferent to the children, photographs show.
The young children joined the players for the singing of the anthems
as is customary in international matches, but were caught in a torrential
downpour that began soon after they arrived on the pitch.
 The
Israelis removed their training jackets and covered the children after
one of the players noticed that one of the children was shivering.
“I am glad we made the gesture and I hope that all the children
returned home safely,” said Israeli soccer star Itay Shechter of
the incident.“When it began to rain during the anthems, we decided
to take off our training jackets because we saw that the kids that were
with us were freezing from the cold of the strong rain. We immediately
decided to place the training jackets on the children so that they would
feel a little more cozy and warmer,” another player Eitan Tibi added.
According to Yediot Ahronot the incident prompted media headlines in
both Ukraine and Russia criticizing the Ukrainian team. ”The human
reflex was to do what the Israeli players did,” wrote one newspaper
according to Yediot.
Israel was defeated in the subsequent match against Ukraine, which took
place in Kiev, by two goals to none.
[From The Algemeiner Journal, based on other media sources]
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