UDINE, Italy (Reuters) -Israel coach Ran Ben Shimon on Monday said his team were ready for a new start in a key clash against Italy, after they suffered a heavy defeat in Norway last week in the World Cup qualifiers.

Israel are third in Group I on nine points, with Norway top on 18. Italy are second on 12, meaning a win would be crucial to keep alive Israel’s hopes of reaching next year’s tournament hosted in Canada, U.S. and Mexico.

The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup with the runners-up going into the playoffs.

“Every game is a blank page. We’ll do the best we can and hope the result is what we want,” Ben Shimon told reporters during a press conference in the northern Italian city of Udine, where Israel are facing Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy on Tuesday.

“We know we’re pl

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