World Cup/Cyprus - 1 Israel - 2: Israel scored a scrappy victory on a wet night on the Mediterranean island to join the Republic of Ireland and France on eight points at the top of their World Cup qualifying group yesterday.
Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr watched from the stand as a late Avi Nimni goal sealed a first win for Israel in Cyprus.
The previous Group Four match in Tel Aviv between the sides also ended in a 2-1 win for the Israelis in September.
Israel had goalkeeper Nir Davidovich to thank after he made a brilliant save in the 75th minute to keep out a Michael Constantinou penalty awarded after Nimni fouled Marios Ilia.
The match began well for the visitors and the evenly contested first half saw Israel take the lead in the 16th minute through Adoram Keisi. Yiannakis Okkas equalised for Cyprus in the 45th minute.
Ireland, France and Israel all have eight points from four matches, followed by Switzerland on five points from three while Cyprus have one point from five games and the Faroe Islands one from four.
"I am pinching myself," said Israel coach Avraham Grant. "I cannot believe we have eight points. Nobody gave us much of a chance, but we proved we have the determination and the ability to keep up with the teams in the group."
Despondency set in with the Cypriots.
"I don't know what happened. We did everything needed to win but we didn't have the luck. Or perhaps it was psychological. I just don't know," said coach Momcilo Vukotic.
Israel took the lead when defender Keisi was on hand to pounce on the rebound of a Nimni free kick which Cyprus goalkeeper Nikos Panagiotou failed to collect.
Okkas put the home team back on level terms when he was on hand to blast the ball into the roof of the net from close range after a mix-up in the Israeli defence.
A ragged second half played in pouring rain came to life in the 76th minute when Davidovich brilliantly saved Constantinou's penalty by stretching fully to his right to parry the ball away.
Panagiotou also had his moment when he rose high to palm a long-range shot by Yossi Benayoun over the bar, but the killer blow came when Benayoun weaved his way into the area and crossed for Nimni to seal the result.
