England hail 'miracle'
British newspapers lavished praise on the Israeli football team Sunday after they beat Russia 2-1 in "a miracle in the Holy Land" which keeps the door open for England to qualify for Euro 2008.
Many British papers had been sceptical, though hopeful, about the chance of an Israeli win and encouraged their readers to support the team, with the Sun newspaper even publishing a "Come On Israel" supplement Saturday.
But they were delighted to have been proved wrong Sunday and hailed Israel while saying that England lived to fight another day in the tournament only by luck.
"Elylujah!" exclaimed the headline in the News of the World tabloid, which said that Elyaniv Barda's first goal for his country in Tel Aviv had thrown England a "Euro lifeline".
"Steve McClaren's Euro prayers were sensationally answered in Tel Aviv last night by two Israeli novices," its report said.
"McClaren owed his drink in the last-chance saloon to Israel strikers Barda and Golan."
The Sunday Telegraph said that Israel's performance had "shamed all of us who believed that a Russian victory here was preordained."
"England's prayers for a miracle in the Holy Land that would resurrect their Euro 2008 qualifying hopes were answered in spectacular style," it said.
"Israel, whose own dreams of making the finals had already evaporated, may have had nothing to play for in competitive terms.
"But, their pride wounded by all the stories that they would lie down like lambs, they also realised that they had nothing to lose and for their young players handed a rare opportunity to enter their country's football folklore, everything to gain."
The headline in the Sunday Times broadsheet -- "Lucky England" -- reflected the sense of surprised relief in many of the papers.
"From a position of near-despair, Steve McClaren and his team, however, are suddenly favourites to go through to the finals next summer with Croatia, after being gifted a sensational favour by Israel, who defied the odds ... to defeat the Russians," it said.
"England's prayers are answered" was the Mail on Sunday tabloid's take on the result.
It predicted that McClaren would lose his job if England now fail to qualify by losing to Croatia this week.
England boss Steve McClaren has paid tribute to Israel's professionalism after they beat Russia to give his squad a Euro 2008 lifeline that looks set to save the beleaguered head coach from the sack.
The Israelis unexpected 2-1 win over Guus Hiddink's side means England need only a draw against Croatia this week to book their place in next year's finals in Austria and Switzerland.
One of the side effects of Omer Golan's injury time winner for Israel was to ensure the Croatians of their finals spot, and, despite a 2-0 defeat by Macedonia on Saturday night, Slaven Bilic's squad will have only pride to play for at Wembley on Wednesday evening.
McClaren, who had been facing the sack in the event of a Russian win in Tel Aviv, could scarcely control his emotions after watching Israel effectively extend his stay in the rarefied atmosphere of international management.
"What a night! Absolutely fantastic news for us all," said the former Middlesbrough boss.
"I'd like to pay tribute to Israel for the professional way they went about their job - they showed what a proud nation they are and deserve a lot of praise for their efforts.
"I've said several times over the past few weeks that the campaign was never over until it was over and that I always believed it would come down to the Croatia match - thankfully it has."
The England manager is acutely conscious of the fact that securing a point against Croatia is an objective that will have to be achieved without either of his first choice strikers, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney (both injured), or his first choice centre-backs, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand (injured and suspended respectively).
But he insisted the task should not be beyond his squad. "What is really important now is that we get the job done on Wednesday night," McClaren said.
"I know we've made things difficult for ourselves by dropping points early on in the group, but we have played a lot better during the second half of the campaign and I've got every confidence the players will do the job at Wembley."
McClaren, who had been widely expected to be relieved of his role if England had failed to reach Euro 2008, called on the crowd to help England get the right result.
He said: "It's back in our own hands now and we really need the whole country to get right behind the team over the next few days.
"We've got to get the result on the pitch on Wednesday night, while we really want the fans to generate another really big Wembley atmosphere - just as they did (in last month's 3-0 win) against Russia.
"It will be a difficult game, but I'm convinced we will get the result we need and will qualify for Austria and Switzerland."
One of the consequences of Israel's win on Saturday night is that David Beckham is now likely to become only the fifth Englishman to win 100 caps for his country.
The midfielder, currently plying his trade for LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer, was clearly short of match fitness during the 1-0 friendly win over Austria in Vienna on Friday night.
But, at 32, Beckham still managed to deliver the corner that Peter Crouch nodded in to secure victory for McClaren's squad and it would be a major surprise if he did not make his 99th international appearance at some stage on Wednesday.
Only four England players in history have completed a century of caps. Peter Shilton holds the record with 125 and the only outfield players to achieve the mark are Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton and Billy Wright.
If he plays on Wednesday, Beckham will hope to reach the 100 mark when England play a friendly in February, most probably against Switzerland, or in a match against France in Paris the following month.
With Owen and Rooney sidelined, McClaren must decide whether to pair Peter Crouch with Jermain Defoe in attack against Croatia or opt for a five-man midfield, which would allow him to avoid leaving Frank Lampard out of his side.
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