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ISRAEL 2 (Benayoun 9, 48)
SWITZERLAND 2 (Frei 25, Vonlanthen 34)
at Ramat Gan stadium, Tel Aviv
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Four teams share the lead still share the lead in Group 4 (on five points each) after three draws in last night's fixtures. Kobi Kuhn's Swiss side lead the way currently, thanks to last month's 6-0 win over the Faroe Islands, but that will undoubtedly change next Wednesday night when the Nordic minnows travel to Dublin.
France travel to Cyprus on the same night, but Switzerland could and perhaps should have netted the win last night in Tel-Aviv.
Israel took an early lead when Racing Santander forward Yossi Benayoun struck in the ninth minute, but goals from Rennes' Alexander Frei and PSV's Johan Vonlanthen gave Switzerland the lead by the interval, in front of 40,000.
Benayoun then got his second three minutes into the second half to tie the game, and that is how it remained until the end - despite a flurry of late chances.
With both sides striving to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign, Israel had goalkeeper Nir Davidovitch to thank as he stretched well to beat out a Jonathan Vonlanthen effort. At the other end, Swiss defender Patrick Muller almost scored an own goal as he sliced Omri Afek's cross straight at Pascal Zuberbuhler in the away side's goal.
Switzerland must now wait until March 2005 to play their fourth game - against France in Paris. Israel travel to Cyprus next month.
Israel: Davidovitch, Ben Haim, Benado, Gazal (Nimni 46), Gershon (Saban 78), Badir, Benayoun, Keisi, Tal, Afek, Balili (Golan 58).
Switzerland: Zuberbuhler, Haas, Magnin, Muller, Murat Yakin (Henchoz 65), Barnetta (Gygax 30), Cabanas, Vogel, Hakan Yakin (Lonfat 80), Frei, Vonlanthen.
Referee: Mark Shield (Australia)
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CYPRUS 2 (Konstantinou 14 pen, Okkas 82)
FAROE ISLANDS 2 (Jorgensen 21, Rogvi Jacobsen 44)
at GSP, Nicosia
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Both Cyprus and the Faroe Islands - Group 4's bottom sides - claimed their first point of the 2006 World Cup campaign as a late own goal from defender Pol Thorsteinsson handed the Cypriots a 2-2 draw.
Thorsteinsson put through his own net nine minutes from time when trying to clear after goalkeeper Jakup Mikkelsen had saved a shot from Yiannakis Okkas.
Mikkelsen had been at fault for the game's opening goal, bringing down Michalis Constandinou who made no mistake from the penalty spot after 14 minutes.
Claus Bech Jorgensen headed the Faroes' equaliser seven minutes later, but the visitors - who looked positive throughout - score from distance from Rogvi Jakobsen.
Cyprus: Panayiotou, Nikolaou, Okkarides, Makridis, Okkas, Charalambides,
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Referee: Zohrab Gadiyev (Azerbijan)