Colautti makes Israel mark

by Margus Luik

from A Le Coq Arena

Roberto Colautti struck eight minutes into his international debut to ensure Israel began their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying Group E campaign with a win - and extended their competitive unbeaten run to eleven matches. Argentina-born Colautti had only got clearance to play for his adopted country days before the game.

Estonia, beaten at home by F.Y.R. Macedonia last month, were much improved on a boggy surface in Tallinn, but were left to rue the series of defensive slips that allowed Yossi Benayoun a run into the area which ended with the winger's shot being parried by Mart Poom and Colautti tapping in.

Immediately after the breakthrough, Estonia took control and created chance after chance in front of Dudu Awat's goal. Enar Jääger curled a free-kick from the left which Kristen Viikmäe headed just over. Then Sergei Terehhov found Andres Oper on the penalty spot but his shot was blocked by Shimon Gershon. The visitors were sweating even more when Awat's one-handed save denied Aleksandr Dmitrijev, before the keeper kept out Dmitri Kruglov's powerful long-range free-kick and Viikmäe fired over the rebound.

Estonia also had the better of the second half, although an Israel reshuffle cut the supply line to forwards Oper and Tarmo Neemelo. Oper, on his 100th appearance, did have the opportunity of an equaliser in added time when he broke the offside trap to race on to Konstantin Vassiljev's pass, but Awat dived to turn his shot around the post. Ragnar Klavan's effort from the resultant corner was also saved. Israel will look to double their points' total when they play Andorra in the Dutch town of Nijmegen on Wednesday; Estonia's wait to get off the mark will go on at least until their 11 October trip to Russia.