England National Football Team Match No. 850

Israel 0 England 0  [0-0]

Saturday, 24 March 2007

Match Summary and Report

Match Summary

Israel Team

38th in FIFA ranking of 14 March 2007; 42nd in Elo world ranking before this match and 42nd after this match.

Israel Lineup

Israel Substitutes

4-4-1-1

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England Team

6th in FIFA ranking of 14 March 2007; 7th in Elo world ranking before this match and 7th after this match.

England Lineup

England Substitutes

4-4-2

-

Match Report

 

England's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign stuttered again with a dismal stalemate against Israel in Tel Aviv.  Steve McClaren's side drew a blank once more, and it was another lifeless performance from England.  Israel keeper Dudu Aouate twice saved well from Frank Lampard, with Jamie Carragher heading against the bar and Andrew Johnson just off target.  Teenage striker Toto Tamuz posed a threat for Israel, forcing Paul Robinson into a save and heading wide.

England named the expected line-up, with Everton striker Johnson partnering Wayne Rooney up front.  But he had little chance to shine in a dismal first 45 minutes in which few clear chances were created by either side.  Lampard had England's best opportunity after he got in on the end of a neat build-up between Johnson and Steven Gerrard, but Israel keeper Aouate plunged bravely at his feet.

Israel's main danger in the opening exchanges came from youngster Tamuz, who forced Robinson to dive low to his right to save and then sent an angled header just wide from Ben Shushan's cross.

Aaron Lennon's pace was a good outlet for England, but there was a desperate lack of real creativity from McClaren's side.  England had a scare after 54 minutes when Yossi Benayoun played in Pini Balili, but he shot wide on the turn.  Lampard tested Aouate again just after the hour, and when the keeper fumbled his powerful volley, Rooney clashed with Tal Ben Haim as they chased the loose ball.

A bout of bumping and barging between the pair ended with both receiving the yellow card from Norwegian referee Tom Ovrebo.  Lampard then flicked a header across the face of goal with Rooney only inches away from connecting.  As England's pressure mounted, Johnson directed a header off target from a superb Gerrard cross.  Jamie Carragher almost emerged as the unlikely figure to break the deadlock after 68 minutes, heading Lampard's corner on to the bar.

England made their first chance with 19 minutes left, sending on the more attack-minded Micah Richards for Phil Neville.  Jermain Defoe was then sent on in place of the hard-working Johnson as England attempted to fashion a breakthrough.  Defoe's introduction almost reaped instant dividends when he fired in a close-range drive, but once more Aouate was equal to the task.  The Spurs' striker had a header in the net in the dying seconds, but it was ruled out because he was clearly offside.  - BBC Sport

Source Notes

Sources

BBC Sport
ESPN Soccernet
www.qualifiers2006.com

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CG