A 3-1 win over Malta last Thursday in their opening qualifying game should have been a confidence booster ahead of Israel's game with Georgia.

But the former Soviet state, bolstered by the appointment of new manager, ex-Newcastle United star Temuri Ketsbaia, had the run of the game.

Vladimir Dvalishvili -- who plays his club football in Israel for Maccabi Haifa -- spurned the best of the early chances when he shot wide, and his miss was followed by Gogita Gogua rattling the crossbar and Jano Ananidze also going close.

Israel, aiming to qualify for their first major tournament in more than 40 years, are under new management in the shape of France legend Luis Fernandez.

Days after making a great start under his stewardship, it would have disappointed him that his team only had one real effort on goal.

Malkhaz Asatiani had inadvertently diverted Hapoel Tel Aviv striker Ben Sahar's cross towards his own goal but goalkeeper Nukri Revishvilli saved well.

The Jewish state had Revishvilli's opposite number Dudu Awat to thank after he made a string of saves, most notably from Giorgi Merebashvili and Reading's on-loan defender Zurab Khizanishvili.

Yossi Benayoun scored a hat-trick against Malta, but was unable to reproduce his exciting performance and neither could fellow Premier League stars Tal Ben-Haim, Tamir Cohen and Dekel Keinan.

Fernandez went for the kill with 15 minutes to go when he threw on forwards Gil Vermut and Eran Zahavi, but it was not to be enough.

Thankfully Croatia, Israel's next opponents in Group F in Tel Aviv on October 9, are going through a period of transition and Fernandez and his side will surely be good for the three points.