Last update - 00:00 08/09/2007
England defeats Israel 3 - 0 in Euro 2008 qualifier match
By Moshe Boker, Haaretz Correspondent
England stayed in contention for a spot in the European Championship by beating Israel 3-0 Saturday in a qualifying match.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, Michael Owen and Micah Richards each scored for England, which had been in fourth place in Group E before the match.
Wright-Phillips scored his first competitive international goal in the 20th minute. Steven Gerrard, playing despite a broken toe, began a slick move that ended with Joe Cole crossing to Wright-Phillips in the box, who volleyed into goal.
Owen made it 2-0 in the 49th, swiveling on the edge of the penalty box and scoring with a half volley.
Midfielder Gareth Barry, playing for the injured Owen Hargreaves, set up the goal in his first England start since 2000.
Richards, a defender, scored his first international goal in the 66th minute, jumping to head in a corner from Barry.
Israel played without injured striker Roberto Colautti, and the visitors barely troubled England goalkeeper Paul Robinson. The two teams drew 0-0 in Israel in March.
England has 17 points from eight games and Israel has 17 from nine. England hosts Russia on Wednesday.
Even after having drilled the same lineup during four training sessions in England, national soccer team coach Dror Kashtan was still undecided two days before the match who would start.
"I am still undecided and I will continue to think about it," Kashtan said at an impromptu press conference for Israeli print journalists on Thursday. "I am practicing some things, and we have another training session, after which I will make my decision."
Kashtan's indecision came after what he had previously thought could be his starting lineup - Awat, Shpungin, Ben Haim, Gershon, Ziv, Benado, Tal, Benayoun, Katan and Itzhaki - had a very bad training session on Thursday.
Until Thursday, neither the first nor second teams had scored in any of their practice matches. The players, who went through drills to see how well they played under pressure, did not look sharp. They almost made the mark, but came up short. All the players looked very tired, and the midfielders could not create chances. Only during Thursday's training session was a goal scored, by Katan.