Errors may prove costly

World Cup qualifiers Group 4/ Republic of Ireland 2 Israel 2: There may have been some differences of opinion between Brian Kerr, his players and the media over what precisely went wrong when Ireland squandered a lead in Tel Aviv but there did seem to be general agreement at the time that had Ireland managed a second goal the three points would have been in the bag. Events at Lansdowne Road on Saturday revealed just how wrong everybody was about that.

Just 12 minutes in, Kerr's side had the two-goal advantage most everyone agreed would have done them in Ramat Gan and for the quarter of an hour that followed they looked to be on course for their most impressive win in a competitive game for several years.

Instead, almost incredibly, they surrendered both the lead and the edge they enjoyed over their major Group Four qualification rivals. Ireland now appear to need 10 points from their remaining four games even to finish second while the 20 points that would give them could well be enough to win the group in the event that both Switzerland and France are beaten in Dublin.

The difficulty is that very little in this performance, and almost nothing else the Irish have done in competitive games against decent opposition in recent years, suggests they can beat two teams of that quality, particularly when at least one is likely to come here intent on simply avoiding defeat.

Ireland had, after all, looked to be in absolute control after Ian Harte marked his return from international exile with a goal from a free after less than six minutes and Robbie Keane had doubled the home side's lead by slipping clear of Avi Yehiel and Shimon Gershon to sweetly volley Andy Reid's 30-yard ball past Dudu Aouate with as much time again on the clock.

The home side were playing with confidence and an obvious sense of purpose against visitors who looked battered and as good as beaten with much less than a quarter of a game gone.

Early on, though, Keane had fallen awkwardly after a challenge by Ariel Banado that sparked the first of the game's many penalty appeals and with the striker clearly in pain, Kerr replaced him 27 minutes in.

Stephen Elliott looked the most obvious replacement if the early pattern of the game was to be maintained but the Sunderland striker had not kicked a ball competitively at this level.

The manager apparently viewed that as the decisive factor as he opted instead for Graham Kavanagh, a decision that forced him into a significant and, as it turned out, hugely damaging reshuffle of his midfield and attack.

Damien Duff, previously a major threat from wide positions was pushed up front where he was rarely heard from again, Clinton Morrison sought to adapt his game to accommodate his new striking partner and became immediately less effective while Kevin Kilbane shifted out wide and turned in, from then on, a largely anonymous performance

It was around this point that it started to become apparent the Irish defence were not at the top of their game either. For, as the Israelis took the opportunity to clamber back into things, they were gifted goals first by Kenny Cunningham's rather lacklustre defending of Yossi Benayoun's free that Yehiel headed home magnificently, given that he was 18 yards out with his back to goal.

Then Shay Given's initial error was compounded by two from O'Shea, whose latter contribution, a foul on Benayoun, handed the visitors a first-half injury-time penalty that Avi Nimny drove confidently past the Irish goalkeeper.

Somehow it still seemed implausible that the Israelis would actually win the game but when, three minutes after the break, Duff headed a Kavanagh corner straight back to Aouate, who had flapped hopelessly at it as it flew past him moments earlier, rather than into an empty net from perhaps a yard out it was hard to resist the suspicion it was going to be one of those nights for the hosts.

With a little short of a half an hour remaining Kerr sought to shake things up by sending on Gary Doherty for Reid and aiming to capitalise on Aouate's obvious fragility in the air.

Late on, though, there were plenty of chances, a couple of good saves and a succession of penalty claims - some stronger than others. There were also some appalling theatrics from the visiting team's goalkeeper, who was, at one point, caught in the face by O'Shea as he followed up a deflected shot by Morrison, but feigned injury in order to waste time at every opportunity.

Eventually his antics extended to pretending Andy O'Brien had hit him in the face after the defender had challenged for a high ball. The goalkeeper had, in fact, punched the Irishman but O'Brien was sent off.

Seven minutes were subsequently added on but they made no difference. The Irish simply didn't possess the finish required to put away their opponents.

Even assuming they still win on Wednesday, they had better acquire it by the autumn because they have left themselves no further margin for error.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Given (Newcastle Utd), O'Shea (Manchester Utd), O'Brien (Newcastle (Utd), Cunningham (Birmingham City), Harte (Levante), Andy Reid (Tottenham), Holland (Charlton Ath), Kilbane (Everton), Duff (Chelsea), Robbie Keane (Tottenham), Morrison (Birmingham City). Subs: Kavanagh (Wigan Ath) for Keane (27 mins), Doherty (Norwich City) for Reid (64 mins). Subs not used: Steven Reid, Miller, Lee, Kenny, Elliott. Sent off: O'Brien (83). Booked: O'Shea, Duff.

ISRAEL: Aouate, Yehiel, Benado, Gershon, Saban, Keisi, Soan, Tal, Nimni (Golan 78), Katan (Balili 66), Benayoun. Subs not used: Harazi, Chen, Revivo, Afek, Davidovitch. Booked: Yehiel, Tal, Katan, Balili, Golan, Aouate, Benayoun. Goals: Yehiel 39, Nimni 45 pen.

Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece).