Northern Ireland went in search of their first win in Group F when they hosted Israel in a World Cup qualifier.
The match came after the hosts' scheduled match with Russia last week was postponed due to the weather, while Israel were moments away from a famous win over Portugal.
The hosts' chances of a place at the 2014 World Cup are now all but over after a clinical Israel struck late to earn a 2-0 win.
Read how it all unfolded in our live commentary below.
7.01pmGood evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage from Windsor Park, as Northern Ireland host Israel in the World Cup qualifiers.
7.03pmThere is no snow stopping us now, the pitch has been given the all-clear, and Belfast is about to finally witness some international action after a frustrating past week.
7.05pmHowever, they are about to meet what is a very decent Israel side. The away side are five points clear of Northern Ireland in second, although they have played a game more. They sit four points behind group leaders Russia, who also have a game in-hand, but they go into the game having come moments from beating Portugal.
7.07pmIsrael have won two, drawn two and lost one of their opening five matches in Group F, having scored 13 goals and conceded just eight.
7.08pmNorthern Ireland, who sit fourth in a six-team group, have drawn three times, lost once but are yet to win. They have found the back of the net three times and let in five.
7.10pmMichael O'Neill is still awaiting his first win in charge of Northern Ireland since taking over 15 months ago.
7.14pmElsewhere in the group today, Portugal have already recorded a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan, which has temporarily bumped Israel down to third.
7.16pmRight, less than half an hour to go, who wants team news? Okay here you go.
7.18pmNORTHERN IRELAND XI: Carroll, Lafferty, McAuley, Evans, Clingan, Davis, Paterson, Brunt, McGinn, Ferguson, Hughes.
7.18pmIn case you are wondering, Fulham midfielder Chris Baird misses out for Northern Ireland tonight due to suspension.
7.24pmISRAEL XI: Aouate, Shpungin, Ben Haim, Tibi, Gershon, Radi, Natcho, Melicsohn, Yeiny, Shechter, Ben Basat.
7.30pmOne piece of good news for Northern Ireland is that Israel are without Mallorca striker Tomer Hemed, who has scored seven goals in his last seven internationals. Yossi Benayoun is also missing for the visitors.
7.31pmNorthern Ireland manager, Michael O'Neill: "We know the significance of three points but know how difficult it will be to get them.
"They have scored a lot of goals in the group - particularly in the games against Luxembourg.
"They are a good side and have players dotted around Europe as well as having a strong domestic league. It will be a tough test for us."
"They have scored a lot of goals in the group - particularly in the games against Luxembourg.
"They are a good side and have players dotted around Europe as well as having a strong domestic league. It will be a tough test for us."
7.39pmOn the bench, Northern Ireland boast all-time top-scorer David Healy, while Benayoun is among the Israeli substitutes.
7.40pmThe teams are preparing to come out at Windsor Park.
7.41pmJust heard that Israel have lost their thermals that they spent £500 on from a local Belfast sports shop. That might explain our wait for them.
7.43pmAnd at last, here they are. Saying that, the wind chill is -7 degrees Celsius out there.
7.44pmWe're now preparing for the national anthems. First up, Israel.
7.46pmAnd now for Northern Ireland.
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7.46pmWe're just moments away now.
7.50pmIt's a bit late, but we're about to get underway.
0 minAnd Northern Ireland get us underway.
1 minThe hosts are wearing green shirts, white shorts and green socks, and are playing from left to right in this first half.
1 minIsrael are sporting blue from top to toe with white trim, and they are playing from right to left.
2 minChris Brunt has a free kick chance from the wide right, but his floated ball is easily caught by the onrushing Aouate.
3 minIsrael hit Northern Ireland on the break down the right, but McAuley is there to put the ball behind for a corner.
4 minOFF THE POST! Good start from Israel and they come a whisker away from taking the lead through Swansea City striker Itay Shecter. The corner is worked out to the right and when the cross is fizzed back in, Shecter is at the near post, but his effort comes back off the upright.
6 minThe hosts have had some early possession but have not done anything with it. Israel look sharp on the break, and it isn't hard to understand how they found the back of the net three times against Portugal last week.
8 minIt may be cold, but the home fans are in fine voice inside Windsor Park tonight.
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9 minNo frosty receptions here........I'm here all week.
9 minThe weather is having an impact though so far with there being a strong wind present. The ball is being held up in Israel's favour when knocked long.
11 minSCORE UPDATE Republic of Ireland 0-1 Austria. Balotelli has just scored for Italy as well against Malta by the way.
12 minNorthern Ireland being asked a lot of questions in the opening stages here, but so far so good from the defence. Jonny Evans looks solid.
13 minHalf a chance for Northern Ireland as Lafferty rampages down the left, taking on the full-back before swing in a cross towards Martin Paterson. But Israel can clear.
14 minAnother good bit of play from the hosts, this time it's Nial McGinn who races down the flank before curling a nice ball towards the far post from the right.
18 minIt's gone a bit quiet...
19 minSo nearly a chance for the home side when Southampton's Steven Davis gently places a lovely pass from the middle to the right of the penalty area. Paterson runs onto it but has too many Israel defenders to deal with, and the visitors scramble it away. That's more like it from the hosts.
20 minSCORE UPDATE Montenegro 0-1 England (Wayne Rooney)
21 minNorthern Ireland are having a decent spell at the moment. Starting to retain possession well and starting to ask questions of the Israeli defence.
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22 minSCORE UPDATE Wales 1-0 Croatia (Gareth Bale); Republic of Ireland 1-1 Austria (Jonathan Walters)
25 minA piece of information for you, whether or not you find it useful is up to you, but the Toulouse owner has flown over in his private jet to watch his and Israel striker Ben Basat tonight.
26 minJust as we talk about him, Ben Basat slices through the back of Martin Paterson. He is lucky not receive a yellow card. Free kick on the right for the hosts.
27 minCHANCE! Northern Ireland cause real trouble in the Israel box following Chris Brunt's free kick. His floated effort causes havoc in the box as Jonny Evans provides not one but two ball across the box, but the away side can just hook it away.
28 minSir Alex Ferguson will certainly be grimacing when he sees this, as Jonny Evans wins the ball comfortably ahead of Ben Basat in his own penalty area before being absolutely clattered. Free kick given but no card, this Estonian referee looks lenient.
29 minCHANCE! All Northern Ireland at the moment. Chris Brunt picks up the ball on the left from 30 yards, and he has a low drive towards the bottom corner of the goal. Martin Paterson gets a little touch to help it on, but the ball ends up just wide of the post. Brunt is looking very lethal when playing through the middle.
32 minCHANCE! I say chance, but Northern Ireland have four goals at Israel here. They are so unlucky. Martin Paterson keeps the ball in play at death before playing the ball across the face of goal. Davis meets it on the edge of the six-yard box but his shot is brilliantly saved, then Lafferty's header is cleared off the lines, Brunt has a go which is blocked before laying the ball off to Aaron Hughes who watches his shot get scrambled away. How they haven't taken the lead there, I will never know. Brilliant passage of play.
35 minYELLOW CARD Jonny Evans is rather harshly booked by the referee for bringing down his man. A bit inconsistent given the fact that the referee chose not to award two Israel players with a card for worse challenges earlier.
37 minThe free kick is a waste, and Roy Carroll has a goal kick for the hosts.
39 minCHANCE! Great run from the right by Lafferty as he makes his way into the middle before laying off Clingan, whose effort flies over the bar.
41 minCHANCE! Another chance for the home side as McGinn fires a ball into the box which again creates panic in the Israel penalty area. It's cleared away though.
42 minSCORE UPDATE Republic of Ireland 2-1 Austria (Jonathan Walters)
45 minHALF TIME: Northern Ireland 0-0 Israel
8.36pmNorthern Ireland certainly not playing like a team without a win in 12 matches. They arguably deserve to be in front and have had the better chances.
8.37pmIsrael started the match the stronger and looked dangerous when Shecter hit the post early on, but since then the hosts have grown into the match and have taken control.
8.37pmHowever, it remains goalless at Windsor Park.
8.51pmThe teams are back out at Windsor Park.
46 minIsrael get the second half started.
48 minNo early action to report in the second half as of yet.
49 minNorthern Ireland have the wind with them in this half...
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52 minSCORE UPDATE Serbia 2-0 Scotland
53 minCHANCE! Northern Ireland are caught napping at the back, as Israel find their way down the right after some scrappy play. Shecter plays the ball across the box to Ben Basat, but the latter's shot is straight at Roy Carroll, who pushes the ball away.
56 minTwo recent penalty appeals here. The first went a little unnoticed, but Jonny Evans was tugged down during a Northern Ireland corner, before just moments ago Paterson went down in the box under a challenge from Ben Haim. The second incident would have been very soft.
59 minCHANCE! Brilliant breakaway from Northern Ireland and Niall McGinn. The cross from Chris Brunt is cleared away but only as far as Steven Davis, whose shot is just fractions wide of the top right corner.
60 minCHANCE! Northern Ireland are well on top, this time Lafferty tries a shot from the left of the box. His shot is decent but is just dragged wide of the near post.
60 minISRAEL SUBSTITUTION: Maharan Radi makes way for Eran Zahavi.
64 minNo real chances in the last few minutes. Northern Ireland are playing well. Yossi Benayoun warming up for the away side.
65 minCHANCE! Zahavi tamely shoots from the edge of the box, but it is easily saved by Carroll.
66 minMassive cries from Northern Ireland for a penalty. Martin Paterson races in as Aouate and Gershon hesitate about who takes the ball. Paterson gets there first and goes down under a challenge from the goalkeeper, but the referee is having none of it.
69 minISRAEL SUBSTITUTION: Maor Melikson is coming off with Lion Refaelov coming on.
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72 minNORTHERN IRELAND SUBSTITUTION: Shane Ferguson is replaced by Josh Magennis.
75 minCHANCE! Great ball in from Lafferty from the left of the field, and with danger lurking, Ben Haim is forced to get a vital touch with his head to clear the trouble away.
77 minGOAL! Northern Ireland 0-1 Israel (Lion Refaelov)
78 minIt's a bitter blow for Northern Ireland, but if you do not take your chances then this is what happens. It's a lovely move from the Israelis as well, with a nice one-touch moving eventually ending up with Refaelov who smashes the ball across Carroll into the far corner.
79 minNORTHERN IRELAND SUBSTITUTION: Paddy McCourt is brought on for the hosts with Sammy Clingan going off.
81 minSCORE UPDATE Wales 1-1 Croatia
83 minFrustrating times for Northern Ireland, as Israel just continue to keep the ball.
84 minNORTHERN IRELAND SUBSTITUTION: David Healy wins his 95th cap as he comes on in place of Martin Paterson.
84 minGOAL! Northern Ireland 0-2 Israel (Eden Ben Basat)
85 minAnd that is surely that for Northern Ireland and their World Cup dreams as Ben Basat rifles home an emphatic finish into the top corner, after brilliant play down the flanks by Shecter.
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86 minISRAEL SUBSTITUTION Itay Shecter is coming off, with Yossi Benayoun coming on.
89 minSCORE UPDATE Wales 1-2 Croatia, Montenegro 1-1 England, Republic of Ireland 2-2 Austria
90 minThree minutes of added time will be played here.
90+1 minThe game has been over since the second goal. It is pretty much silent at Windsor Park.
90+2 minCHANCE! David Healy has a decent curler on the spin test Aouate, but the keeper pulls off the save.
90+3 minYELLOW CARD! Chris Brunt misses the next qualifier after a poor late challenge on Benayoun.
90+4 minFULL TIME: Northern Ireland 0-2 Israel
9.42pmSo that's it. After dictating much of the game, Northern Ireland slump to a disappointing defeat to a clinical Israel. The hosts had much of the early chances and should have gone into half time with the lead. However, Israel took their opportunities at the end of the match to all but end Northern Ireland's hopes of a place in Brazil next summer.
9.44pmWell that is all from me tonight. Thanks for joining, I hope you enjoyed the action. Take it easy, goodnight.
