Israel hold France 1-1
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-31 09:14

Israel has stunned France with a late goal to earn a 1-1 draw in Tel Aviv as the 1998 World Cup winners continue to struggle in their bid to reach the 2006 finals.

France's goalkeeper Fabien Barthez shouts at his team mates during a World Cup European Zone Group Four soccer qualifier against Israel at the Ramat Gan stadium near Tel Aviv March 30, 2005. The match ended 1-1. [Reuters]

Walid Badir's 83rd-minute header on Wednesday, one of several vital late goals in the night's 21 European qualifiers, cancelled out David Trezeguet's 50th-minute header for the French.

Juventus striker Trezeguet was sent off five minutes after his goal for butting Tal Ben Haim and Israel poured forward.

They gained their reward seven minutes from time when goalkeeper Fabien Barthez fluffed his attempt to cut out an Adoram Keisi cross and sent the ball straight on to the head of Badir - who carefully returned it into the net.

It was the first goal France have conceded in a very tight Group Four qualifying campaign and brought back memories of 1993 when a late Israel winner in Paris contributed to France's failure to make the 1994 World Cup.

France and Israel top the group on 10 points but the French, held to three goalless home draws in the campaign so far, still face tough trips to Ireland and Switzerland.

The Swiss, who beat Cyprus with an 88th-minute goal by Alex Frei, have nine points, as do Ireland, who were not in action, and both have a game in hand on the top two.

Serbia & Montenegro remain the only team not to have conceded a goal after they fought out a 0-0 home draw with Spain in the Group Seven top-of-the-table clash.

The result leaves the Serbians, who hit the post, top on 11 points after five games with Spain on nine, along with Lithuania who drew 1-1 in Bosnia.

UKRAINE HOPES

Ukraine beat Denmark 1-0 to surge clear at the top of Group Two and raise their hopes of making a major tournament for the first time after a heartbreaking treble of near-misses.

Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine have twice missed out on the World Cup in a playoff and suffered the same fate before the 2000 European championship.

Wednesday's success in Kiev, secured by striker Andriy Voronin's 67th-minute goal, takes them to 17 points.

European champions Greece are second on 14 after they beat Albania 2-0 to gain revenge for their defeat by their neighbours in the opening game of the campaign.

Turkey are third on 12 after thumping Georgia 5-2 away.

The Group Three showdown in Bratislava ended in stalemate as Slovakia drew 1-1 with Euro 2004 runners-up Portugal.

POSTIGA EQUALISER

Portugal, who had scored 12 goals in their previous two qualifiers, needed a 62nd-minute equaliser from substitute Helder Postiga to salvage a point after Miroslav Karhan had put the Slovaks ahead with an early penalty.

The two teams remain together on 14 points, three ahead of Russia, who also drew 1-1 in Estonia. Latvia, who beat Luxembourg 4-0, have 10 points, with Estonia on eight.

The "Big Three" in Group One all secured their expected victories against the group's lesser lights to leave the order unchanged.

The Netherlands lead the way on 16 points after goals for Romeo Castelen and Ruud van Nistelrooy beat Armenia 2-0.

The Czech Republic scored four for the second time in four days but, unlike on Saturday when they were pushed all the way by three-goal Finland, home side Andorra failed to trouble the scoreboard.

Penalties by Marek Jankulovski and Tomas Rosicky either side of goals by Milan Baros and Vratislav Lokvenc made it five successive wins for the Czechs and took them to 15 points.

Romania are on 13 after Nicolae Mitea grabbed both goals in a 2-1 win in Macedonia.

The same applied in Group Six, although Poland and Austria both left it late to claim their expected wins.

England remain top on 16 points after Steven Gerrard and David Beckham goals beat Azerbaijan 2-0.

Poland, who thrashed Azerbaijan 8-0 on Saturday, had to wait until the 85th minute for the only goal of the game against Northern Ireland in Warsaw as Maciej Zurawski's late header moved them to 15 points.

Austria are on 11 points after they too grabbed a late 1-0 win when Rene Aufhauser's tame shot slipped through the legs of goalkeeper Danny Coyne in the 87th minute after Wales had dominated in Vienna.

Croatia moved to the head of Group Eight as two goals from striker Dado Prso and one for Igor Tudor gave them a 3-0 home win over Malta.

Croatia have 13 points, one ahead of Sweden and five clear of Bulgaria, who conceded a last-minute goal in their 1-1 draw in Hungary.

The eight group winners and two best runners-up qualify for the 2006 finals in Germany automatically and the other six runners-up play off for three more places.

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