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Ireland 2 - 2 Israel
What a great start to the game, Robbie Keane was set free and fouled in the penalty area but the Greek referee Kyros Vassaras, denied Ireland a clear penalty. A few minutes later, Ireland get a free kick just outside the penalty area, Ian Harte recalled after 14 month in international wilderness, stepped up, pulled the trigger. A superb free kick to deceive the Israeli keeper. On the 11th minute Robbie Keane scored a lovely goal with a beautiful lob from a pass supplied by Spurs team mate Andy Reid. The game changed on the substitution of Robbie Keane in the 27th minute and Ireland reverted to a 5 man midfield. The Israelis came back into the game. The pressure from the Israeli midfield and a combination of sloppy passing by the Irish let the visitors dominate until the end of the first half, which by then the game was all square. The first Israeli goal, a header by Yehiel from a free kick taken by Benayoun. He had no right to score from that distance, the Irish defence should have won the ball and cleared it. Benayoun was involved in the equalising goal as John O'Shea seemed to manhandle him in the area and that stupid Greek referee gave the visitors an undeserved penalty,which they duly scored from on the third re-take. The second half was spoiled by Israel's negative tactics in which they picked up 7 yellows cards. The Irish attacked the visitors goal at will but were unable to score the deciding goal. The Israeli pair Benayoun and substitute Pini Balili caused the Irish defence lots of trouble but did not test Shay Given in the Irish goal, who was gaining his 69 cap for Ireland. In the 83rd minute the game turned into circus brawl with the biggest clown of all being the Israeli goalkeeper, Dudu Aouate, he antics got Ireland's Andy O'Brien sent off for retaliation, which he never committed. With antics like that, he should get banned like the Chilean keeper who feigned injury against Brazil in 1989. In all
a disappointing game and a disappointing result, Ireland now travel
to Torshavn, in the Faroe Island, in a must win game or we can forget
about going to Germany next summer.
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