Northern Ireland and Israel shared an entertaining 1-1 draw in a friendly at Windsor Park on Wednesday night.
McCann free-kick puts NI ahead before Barda equalises
Northern Ireland and Israel shared an entertaining 1-1 draw in a friendly at Windsor Park on Wednesday night.
Grant McCann put the home side in front in the 18th minute when winning a 20-yard free-kick and then smashing it past Israel keeper Dudu Aouate.
But the visitors were level eight minutes later when Aviram Baruchian crossed from the right for Elyaniv Barda to tap in at the far post.
Numerous substitutions upset the flow of the game in the second period before Jonathan Tuffey saved well from Salim Tuama, while at the other end Kyle Lafferty headed over.
NI boss Nigel Worthington was looking for a morale-boosting win ahead of the vital World Cup qualifier against Poland next month.
Instead the home side had to settle for a share of the spoils in the game, but Worthington will have still taken positives from the display.
David Healy won his 75th cap but for the sixth match running he failed to get on the scoresheet before being replaced by Martin Paterson.
Healy has been stuck on 35 goals for months now and his poor form in front of goal will be causing concern in the camp.
The home side also suffered a blow on the day of the game when Manchester United defender Jonny Evans returned home for treatment on an ankle injury.
Israel showed their intent as early as the seventh minute with Avihai Yadin rattling in a shot from distance.
However Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor got his body behind the ball to make a comfortable save.
Israel were playing some neat football and Yossi Benayoun saw his effort cannon off George McCartney in the 15th minute.
Took lead
It was the home side, though, who took the lead after 18 minutes through McCann.
The Scunthorpe midfielder dusted himself down after being upended and fired a 20-yard free-kick beyond Aouate.
The goalkeeper, who looked slow to react, only succeeded in palming the ball into the corner of the net.
It was McCann's fourth goal for NI but Israel equalised in the 26th minute following a sweeping move.
Roberto Collauti linked up with Baruchyan and he released Barda, who showed good skill to clip his effort over Taylor to bring the sides level.
Northern Ireland hit back in the 31st minute and Lafferty got on the end of a fine cross from Chris Baird, only for the goalkeeper to save comfortably.
However they had a scare four minutes later when Dekel Keinan got clear of his marker when Baruchyan delivered an inswinging corner.
Keinan powered in a header but Damien Johnson was perfectly positioned at the post and cleared off the line.
NI again found themselves on the backfoot in the 41st minute when Yadin showed good skill before firing in a shot that went narrowly wide of the post.
Baird then had to make a face-saving tackle on Benayoun as the midfielder strode forward and was grateful to concede a corner.
Second-half
Both sides changed their goalkeeper at half-time with Partick's Jonny Tuffey replacing Taylor while Nir Davidovich came on for Aouate.
Healy turned quickly in the 51st minute but was unable to get enough power on his shot and Davidovitch made the save.
Substitute Steven Davis then sent his Rangers team-mate Lafferty clear down the left in the 66th minute but his cross was cut out and the move broke down.
Fellow sub Paterson showed good skill to carve out an opening in the 69th minute and released Davis but he hesitated and the ball was cleared.
NI continued to push forward and sub Gareth McAuley headed wide following a cross from McCann in the 79th minute.
But the home side were grateful to Tuffey a minute later when he booted clear Tuama's close-range effort, while Lafferty headed over at the other end as the match ended with honours even.
