Intensity impaired Israelis

ISRAEL boss Willi Ruttensteiner last night admitted his team did not handle Scotland’s second-half intensity as they fell to a last-gasp defeat at Hampden.

The visitors led twice at the national stadium as they punished a poor first-half display by Steve Clarke’s men.

But Scott McTominay’s stoppagetime winner proved the difference and the loss leaves the Israelis third in Group F and four points behind the Scots with three games left to play.

‘In the first half, we were excellent but we lost the intensity, they held it,’ said Ruttensteiner.

‘The pressure came more and more in the second half and, from a corner-kick, we lost the game.

‘Scotland, with the players they have and the leagues they play in, helped the intensity. This we couldn’t do. The dressing room is disappointed.’

Elsewhere in Group F last night, Austria sealed a 2-0 win in the Faroe Islands thanks to goals by Konrad Laimer and Marcel Sabitzer.

Leaders Denmark maintained their perfect record with a 4-0 win in Moldova. Andreas Skov Olsen, Simon Kjaer, Christian Norgaard and Joakim Maehle all netted.