Israel turn up heat as 10-man Scotland throw it away in Haifa
SORRY Scotland squandered a half-time lead to lose 2-1 to Israel in their Nations League Group C1 clash in Haifa.
Charlie Mulgrew’s 25th-minute penalty gave Alex McLeish’s side an undeserved advantage and there was no surprise when the hosts levelled in the 52nd minute, Dor Peretz making up for conceding the penalty through a barge on Steven Naismith with a close-range finish.
Scotland were reduced to 10 men in the 61st minute when defender John Souttar was sent off for picking up his second yellow card before defender Kieran Tierney turned a cross from Beram Kayal past Allan McGregor with 16 minutes remaining.
The Scots face a final double-header against Albania and Israel next month.
The home side and fans were stunned when Polish referee Daniel Stefanski judged Peretz to have barged Naismith inside the box after the Hearts striker latched onto an Andy Robertson pass, and Mulgrew confidently stepped up to hammer home.
Israel came back strongly but couldn’t equalise in the first period. But in the 52nd minute the inevitable leveller came when Taleb Tawatha picked out Peretz who got the better of Robertson before poking the ball into the far corner of the net.
Things got worse when Souttar, booked in the first half for a foul on Dabbur, picked up a second yellow for catching the same player in the face with his hand.
McGregor saved Kayal’s freekick and minutes later Tawatha somehow hit the bar from inside the six-yard box but there was nothing the keeper could do when Tierney sliced a Kayal cross past him and into the net. ISRAEL: Harush, Yeini, Tibi, Ben Haroush Dasa, Peretz, Kayal (Einbinder 82), Tawatha (Atar 77), Natcho, Dabour, Sahar (Saba 45).
SCOTLAND: Allan McGregor, Mulgrew, Souttar, Robertson, O’Donnell, McDonald, McGinn, Tierney, Callum McGregor, Russell (Forrest 67), Naismith (McBurnie 76). Referee: Daniel Stefanski (Poland).