O’NEILL HEARTBREAK

AFTER eight games and 14 months without a win, Michael O’Neill could be forgiven for feeling he was due a change of fortune but his hopes were dashed late on at Windsor Park last night. After dominating much of the game and going close repeatedly, Northern Ireland were left cursing their luck in the 77th minute after substitute Lior Refaelov latched on to a flick from Swansea’s Itay Shechter and fired a low drive past Roy Carroll. To add insult injury, Eden Ben Basat fired a second goal into the roof of the net in the 84th minute. The first half of the Group F game belonged to Northern Ireland and the visitors had a remarkable escape following persistence from Martin Paterson (below). The Burnley striker chased what looked a lost cause on the right and laid on a chance that skipper

Steve Davis lashed first time against keeper Dudu Aouate. Shane Ferguson headed the rebound against Yuval Shpungin on the line and follow-up efforts from Chris Brunt and Aaron Hughes were scrambled away. After Paterson failed to win a penalty when bundled over by Tel Ben Haim in the 59th minute a 25-yard Davis drive flew inches wide. But Israel fought back and stunned the home crowd with their two late goals. NORTHERN IRELAND (4-5-1): Carroll 6; Hughes 7, McAuley 6, J.Evans 7, D.Lafferty 6; McGinn 7, Clingan 6 (McCourt 78min), Davis 8, Brunt 7, Ferguson 6 (Magennis 73, 6); Paterson 6 (Healy 83).