Football: TEL AVIV TORMENT

IRELAND were cruelly denied three points in Tel Aviv last night when substitute Abas Suan fired home a final minute piledriver from 25 yards.

Clinton Morrison had given Brian Kerr's side the perfect start with a stunning fourth-minute goal - but their inability to convert possession into further goals saw them punished at the whistle.

It's a result that Kerr will be furious with and throws Group 4 open once more - keeping the Israeli's in with a shout.

Avi Grant's side were outclassed for much of the 90 minutes but Ireland will need to look to themselves for inviting the opposition to attack after the break.

To rub salt into the wounds Kerr will also be without Roy Keane and Stephen Carr for the return fixture thanks to both picking up yellow cards.

He will be forced to tinker - unlike last night when he went with the same side that drew in Paris. Perhaps the need for change will remove the overbearing negativity that was obvious in the second half.

Morrison is likely to keep his place after yet another goalscoring appearance, but the replacement of Keane will be a tougher challenge.

Kerr kept faith with the miserly defensive partnership of Kenny Cunningham and Andy O'Brien, despite Richard Dunne's pressure on the Newcastle defender.

The only true decision facing Kerr was whether to play the attacking Andy Reid on the right wing ahead of the less spectacular but more defensively reliable Steve Finnan.

Conservatism and practicality saw the Liverpool man retain his place and he was to be crucial in tempering the attacking prowess of Yossi Benayoun, around whom Grant styles his Israeli side.

The wily Israeli coach made five changes from the side that beat Cyprus 2-1 in the last qualifier with Omer Golan coming in in place of Pini Balili, with Golan seen as a better foil for the enigmatic Benayoun. Striker and regular captain Avi Nimni was also sacrificed in a 3-4-3 formation.

Much is made of the power of possession play at the top level in football these days and Ireland showed Israel why they belong in the higher echelons as early as the fourth minute.

With Roy Keane pulling the strings in midfield Israel barely touched the ball before the opener came from Morrison in a great display of one-touch football.

Keane fed John O'Shea at left-back whose first-time pass curled up the line to Duff.

Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim was in close attendance but the Chelsea winger showed exactly why the Premiership trophy is going to Stamford Bridge and not the Reebok Stadium.

Duff's trickery spooked the defender who could not halt the low cross which Morrison latched onto.

The Birmingham hitman stole a yard on Shimon Gershon and somehow caressed the ball into the roof of the net from an unlikely angle.

It was a stunning finish that must have greatly pleased Kerr, who has stayed faithful to the striker even though he has been on the bench recently at Birmingham.

Ireland continued to frustrate the hosts as they kept hold of the ball with great skill and composure and the previously boisterous crowd were stunned into silence as their team looked nervous and tense.

Their star player Benayoun provided a short riposte from the pressure when he whipped in a great cross that Yaniv Katen headed narrowly wide minutes later but it was to be one of few chances.

In the 20th minute Shay Given was called into action for the first time when Carr gave away a lazy free-kick on the edge of the box.

The former Everton player Idan Tal lined it up and Given, as he did in Paris and Basle, produced a world class save blocking the shot one-handed.

Carr ruled himself out of the return fixture when he was booked three minutes before the break adding to his yellow in Switzerland last September.

Keane would soon follow with a yellow of his own with a late tackle on Benayoun.

Ireland continued to hog the ball up to the break, and the biggest cheer from the stands came at half time when scantily clad dancers raised spirits, if only momentarily.

Israel, as expected, came out with renewed vigour in the second half and Benayoun dropped progressively deeper in an attempt to gain some possession for the hosts.

Cunningham was required to block an attempt from the Santander attacker before the hour and then the local hero wasted a good chance on 60 minutes, when he fired high and wide from Yaniv Katan's sliding pass.

Adoram Keisi then wasted a glorious chance for Israel when he poked straight at Given but unfortunately for Ireland Suan wasn't as wasteful when he grabbed the equaliser in the dying moments.

Even then Duff's deflected shot - which hit the bar - could have won it for the visitors but it was not to be and Ireland will be rue their second half performance.

4 Shots on target 2

9 Shots off target 3

3 Shots blocked 2

2 Corners 5

23 Fouls conceded 11

3 Offsides 3

4 Yellow cards 3

0 Red cards 0

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