Israel 0 - 0 England

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Saturday Mar 24 2007 06:30

Lethargic England's Euro 2008 qualification campaign continues to falter after they produced another lame display as they laboured to a goalless draw with Israel in Tel Aviv.

Steve McClaren's side failed to show any invention as they struggled to break down an average Israel outfit that seemed intent on taking a point from the game from the first whistle.

England started poorly and slack play in the third minute allowed the dangerous Toto Tamuz to break free but he lashed his shot wide.

Israel were lucky not to be reduced to ten men in the early stages when Arik Benado bundled over Aaron Lennon, just a couple of minutes after being booked for hacking Frank Lampard down.

In the 18th minute, as England finally settled, Wayne Rooney couldn't get enough power on a header as Dudu Aouate made a comfortable save before intricate passing allowed Lampard to burst into the area, but the Israel keeper raced off his line to smother the shot.Jamie Carragher's header then drifted off target before Tamuz forced a diving save from Paul Robinson just before the half-hour mark in a rare Israel break.Steven Gerrard's long-range drive was blocked by Tal Ben-Haim before Carragher headed straight at Aouate as the first half petered out.

The second period was little better as England's predictable and slow build-up play was lapped up by the Israel defence.Pini Balili drifted a shot just wide following an error by Owen Hargreaves as England failed to show any sense of urgency.

England enjoyed their best spell of the game midway through the second half but they were unable to break the deadlock.

Gerrard and Lennon combined well in the 67th minute but Lampard glanced his header wide before Johnson flicked a header from Gerrard's excellent cross wide.

Carragher looped a header on to the top of the crossbar, but substitute Jermaine Defoe had probably the best chance of the game with six minutes left. The Tottenham striker did well to get in a powerful shot but the excellent Aouate did brilliantly to smother the effort.

It was another lack-lustre performance by England that will surely increase the pressure on the beleaguered McClaren.

Live Commentary

  • 90
    FULL TIME: ISRAEL 0-0 ENGLAND.
  • 90
    It's been far too predictable by England - Israel are an average side but McClaren's side have shown little or no invention.
  • 90
    Dismal, dire, woeful - it's certainly not been great again by England.
  • 88
    Richards has the ball in the net, but the referee had already blown for offside.
  • 87
    Israel bring on Gal Alberman for Amit Ben Shushan.
  • 86
    Lampard takes a tumble in the area - definitely no penalty though.
  • 84
    A great save by Aouate who smothers Defoe's snap-shot - probably England's best chance of the game.
  • 83
    A third change by England - Stewart Downing replaces Lennon.
  • 82
    England appear to have run out of ideas - not that they had many in the first place.
  • 80
    McClaren makes a second change - Jermain Defoe for Johnson.
  • 78
    Apart from a brief spell midway through the second half England have really laboured.
  • 76
    Another change by Israel - Dani Bodarv replaces Tamuz.
  • 74
    The increasingly frustrated Rooney has a shot from the edge of the area charged down.
  • 73
    England bring on Micah Richards for Neville.
  • 70
    Israel make their first change - Ben Sahar replaces Balili.
  • 70
    Carragher loops a header on to the top of the bar.
  • 69
    England are getting closer to breaking the deadlock - but they can't afford to wait too much longer.
  • 68
    Now Johnson flicks a header from Gerrard's excellent cross wide.
  • 67
    Gerrard and Lennon combine well but Lampard glances a header wide.
  • 66
    Johnson whips in a cross but both Rooney and Gerrard are crowded out.
  • 64
    Neville is lucky to escape a booking after clattering into Benayoun.
  • 62
    As is Ben-Haim.
  • 62
    Rooney goes for the loose ball as Aouate fumbles - Ben-Haim doesn't like the challenge and jousts with Rooney who is booked.
  • 61
    At last a shot on goal by England as Lampard's volley is saved by Aouate.
  • 60
    There's just no sense of urgency by England.
  • 59
    It's very dull play by England - lots of sideways passes before a lofted ball in the general direction of Johnson or Rooney.
  • 57
    Tamuz's control lets him down after Yossi Benayoun had launched a swift Israel break.
  • 55
    Owen Hargreaves loses possession on the edge of the area allowing Pini Balili to drift a shot just wide.
  • 53
    Good defending by Rio Ferdinand who breaks up a promising Israel attack.
  • 51
    Neville finds his way into the area and passes to Johnson who falls over - no penalty.
  • 49
    Israel are very limited, but England are finding it hard to break them down.
  • 48
    It's been a tame affair so far, England need to find some more invention.
  • 46
    England get the second half underway.
  • 45
    HALF TIME: ISRAEL 0-0 ENGLAND.
  • 44
    Too many England players are failing to impress - Rooney's having a shocker and Lennon's not much better.
  • 43
    England keep the ball without looking as though they'll open the Israel defence up.
  • 41
    It's been scrappy and not particularly enthralling but England are edging it as Lennon floats another cross straight to Aouate.
  • 39
    Carragher heads Lampard's lofted corner towards goal but Aouate makes a comfortable save.
  • 37
    Carragher races into the area and wins a corner.
  • 35
    Gerrard's long-range drive is blocked by Tal Ben-Haim.
  • 34
    England are enjoying most of the possession but haven't really created a clear-cut opening.
  • 32
    Johnson is caught offside as a promising England attack breaks down.
  • 31
    Rooney loses the ball, chases back, and gives away a free-kick - entirely out of character.
  • 30
    Tamuz again, this time heading just wide as Robinson scrambled across his goal-line.
  • 28
    Tamuz forces a diving save from Robinson as Israel suddenly break.
  • 27
    Much better by England as Johnson almost finds space for himself inside the area.
  • 26
    Gerrard darts forward but Lampard can't find him with a long pass.
  • 24
    Carragher rises well but is unable to direct his header on target.
  • 22
    England are now on top but need a goal while they have the upper hand.
  • 20
    Intricate passing by England allows Lampard to burst into the area, but Aouate races off his line to smother the shot.
  • 18
    Rooney can't get enough power on his header and Aouate makes a comfortable save.
  • 17
    A Lampard and Gerrard short corner routine comes to nothing.
  • 16
    Benado obstructs Lennon - he's lucky not to be off as he's already been booked.
  • 15
    Tumaz has been lively for the hosts in the opening exchanges.
  • 13
    Carragher clumsily stops an Israel counter-attack and is rightly booked.
  • 12
    Steven Gerrard is bundled off the ball - the Liverpool man expected a free-kick but the referee gave nothing.
  • 10
    Arik Benado is the first player to go into the referee's notebook for a rash challenge on Frank Lampard.
  • 9
    Lennon's long run ends with the Tottenham speedster's looping cross drifting out of play.
  • 8
    After a very sloppy start, England finally appear to have settled as they pass the ball about confidently.
  • 6
    Dudu Aouate easily claims the ball though after a brief moment of panic in the Israel defence.
  • 5
    Better from Johnson as he wins a free-kick just outside the Israel penalty area.
  • 4
    Now it's Johnson's turn to gift possession to Israel, but England hack the ball away from danger.
  • 3
    Slack play by England allows Toto Tamuz to break free but he lashes his shot wide.
  • 2
    Israel win an early free-kick but Paul Robinson comes off his line to take Yossi Benayoun's ball in.
  • 1
    Israel get the match underway.
  • 0
    England fans will be hoping the pace of Johnson, Rooney and Aaron Lennon will compensate for the steadier qualities of Neville and Carragher.
  • 0
    Israel have seven points from their four qualifiers but lost 4-3 at home to Croatia.
  • 0
    McClaren has opted to use Wayne Rooney and Andy Johnson in attack, while the full-backs are Phil Neville and Jamie Carragher.
  • 0
    After a draw against Macedonia and defeat in Croatia, Steve McClaren's England side desperately need to beat Israel in Tel Aviv to get their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign back on track.

Statistics

Israel
Shots on target 1
Shots off target 4
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 16
Offsides 0
Corners 1

England
Shots on target 6
Shots off target 8
Shots off bar/post 1
Fouls 9
Offsides 3
Corners 7

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