Match ends, Israel 2, Scotland 1.
A Kieran Tierney own goal condemned shambolic 10-man Scotland to a bruising Nations League defeat in Israel.
Against a side ranked 94th in the world, and with just one win in their past 10 games, Alex McLeish's men let a lead slip in a sobering second half.
The Scots were ahead at the break in Haifa but eventually conceded twice and had John Souttar sent off.
At the halfway stage of the Nations League group, Scotland, Israel and Albania all have three points.
Scotland - ranked 39th in the world - looked on their way to claiming their second win in League C when Charlie Mulgrew slammed home from the spot after Steven Naismith had been fouled.
However, Dor Peretz's goal and a shanked clearance from Celtic left-back Tierney gave the hosts - who have beaten only Liechtenstein and Andorra at home since 2014 - the win they thoroughly deserved.
Scotland are away to the Albanians - who they beat 2-0 at Hampden - before closing their group campaign at home against Israel next month.
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'They should have been embarrassed by more'
Scotland's tails ought to have been up on the back of a good win over Albania, and McLeish had indicated he wanted to take the game to the Israelis.
But the opposite was true. Scotland looked like a team of strangers and found themselves on the back foot more or less from the get-go.
Israel, apparently bereft of confidence going into the match, sliced through the Scots at will. But, incredibly, they found themselves behind when Naismith was barged in the penalty area by Peretz and Mulgrew emphatically converted the penalty.
Otherwise, it was all Israel and only Allan McGregor stood between the home side and a handsome lead.
The goalkeeper saved well from Peretz twice and from Beram Kayal - who should have scored. Ben Sahar also hit a post as Scotland struggled badly to perform in the 3-5-2 shape McLeish demanded.
The visitors' failings in the wing-back areas were underlined by the equaliser. Stephen O'Donnell was caught on the wrong side of Taleb Twatha and, when he fed Peretz, the midfielder was able to evade Andy Robertson to squeeze the ball past McGregor.
When a lackadaisical backpass from Souttar then forced the defender to tug at Munas Dabbur, the Hearts defender was shown his second yellow card and Scotland's evening took another downward turn.
That was exacerbated when another unforgivable loss of possession outside Scotland's penalty area allowed Kayal to flash the ball across goal and the unfortunate Tierney - out of sorts at centre-back - sliced it past his helpless keeper.
The scoreline could have been substantially more embarrassing. McGregor had further excellent saves from Bibras Natcho and Dia Seba, while Twatha hit the bar from four yards out.
Tinkered, tired and toiling - analysis
This was a massive backwards step by Scotland. McLeish had kept faith with the 11 players who performed admirably against Albania, but only McGregor earned pass marks in Haifa.
The manager's decision to persist with a formation that had served him well against the Albanians, despite players playing out of position, came spectacularly unstuck.
On numerous occasions, players came across to the sidelines as McLeish tried in vain to tweak the shape to cope with the lively Israelis.
But the Scots also looked tired. It's easy to be wise after the fact, but a long day of travelling yesterday, a late arrival and delayed training session looked like they might have taken their toll.
If that wasn't the reason for such an off-colour performance, the manager must quickly establish what was.
Match stats
- Scotland have now lost three consecutive away games for the first time since October 2012.
- Israel recorded their first win over Scotland, having lost their previous three.
- This was Scotland's first competitive defeat since losing 3-0 to England in November 2016.
- Four of Scotland's seven shots were attempted by Callum McGregor (57%).
- Charlie Mulgrew's penalty opener was his third Scotland goal, and first since May 2014 in a friendly against Nigeria.
Line-ups
Israel
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Harush
- 12Yeini
- 21Tibi
- 20Ben HarushBooked at 23mins
- 2Dasa
- 8Peretz
- 6NatchoBooked at 24mins
- 7KayalSubstituted forEinbinderat 82'minutes
- 13TawathaSubstituted forAtarat 76'minutes
- 9Dabbur
- 14SaharSubstituted forSabaat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Glazer
- 4Habashi
- 5Tzedek
- 10Hemed
- 11Einbinder
- 15Micha
- 16Atar
- 17Awwad
- 18Haimov
- 19Saba
- 22Bitton
- 23Kannadli
Scotland
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1McGregor
- 4SouttarBooked at 61mins
- 5MulgrewSubstituted forMcKennaat 45'minutes
- 6Tierney
- 2O'Donnell
- 7McGinn
- 8McDonald
- 3RobertsonBooked at 87mins
- 10RussellSubstituted forForrestat 67'minutes
- 11McGregor
- 9NaismithSubstituted forMcBurnieat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 12Gordon
- 13Hendry
- 14McKenna
- 15Shinnie
- 16S Armstrong
- 17Forrest
- 18McBurnie
- 20McLaughlin
- Referee:
- Daniel Stefanski
- Attendance:
- 10,234
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home25
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away2
- Corners
- Home6
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Israel 2, Scotland 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Eliran Atar (Israel) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Munas Dabbur following a fast break.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Bibras Natcho (Israel) because of an injury.
Post update
Hand ball by Callum McGregor (Scotland).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Callum McGregor (Scotland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Stephen O'Donnell.
Booking
Andrew Robertson (Scotland) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt missed. Eliran Atar (Israel) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Diaa Saba with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Israel. Conceded by Allan McGregor.
Post update
Attempt saved. Diaa Saba (Israel) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Eliran Atar.
Substitution
Substitution, Israel. Daniel Einbinder replaces Beram Kayal.
Post update
Corner, Scotland. Conceded by Ariel Harush.
Post update
Attempt saved. Callum McGregor (Scotland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by John McGinn.
Post update
Attempt missed. Munas Dabbur (Israel) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Eliran Atar.
Post update
Attempt missed. Eliran Atar (Israel) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Munas Dabbur.
Post update
Attempt missed. Callum McGregor (Scotland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Scotland. Oliver McBurnie replaces Steven Naismith.
Substitution
Substitution, Israel. Eliran Atar replaces Taleb Tawatha.
Goal!
Own Goal by Kieran Tierney, Scotland. Israel 2, Scotland 1.
Comments
Join the conversation
You have to feel for Liechtenstein and Andorra, fancy being placed in the same company as Scotland.
He should never have been appointed.
Anyone...anyone, with any managerial experience in Scotland could set up a team better than him.
Can it get much worse than this?
suddenly, losing to Croatia in the World Cup Semi Finals doesn't seem so bad
Israel
94th in the world
12 places below Luxembourg
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Nothing but a second class nation now!
Sad really............
Always the wrong appointment. Yet another SFA shambles.
Its funny though, they take the pee because we lose a a world cup semi final then get all upset when we laugh at them for losing to Israel in a game nobody cares about.
What a bunch of pathetic losers they are. Funny mind :) :) :)
At least I'm not english. Hated by the world
You sound bitter and upset. Nice that you speak our language too. Anything else you are ungrateful for? Civilisation? Law? Dole money?
Anyone would think the greatest footballers Scotland could produce just lost to 94th in the world.
Greetings from 6th.