Switzerland booked their place at next summer's World Cup finals with a

goalless draw against 10-man Israel at St Jacob stadium in Basle.

Ottmar Hitzfeld's side failed to score for the first time in the campaign, but

it did not matter as they secured the points they needed to top Group Two.

A nervy night for the hosts was at least made a little easier on the hour mark

when Israel had Avihai Yadin sent off for a second bookable offence and

Switzerland should have got their winner soon after when Eren Derdiyok bounced a

free header over.

Defeat for Israel extinguished their very slim hopes of securing a play-off

place - which was made impossible anyway when Greece secured an expected victory

over minnow Luxembourg.

The visitors had the first chance with 11 minutes on the clock when Maccabi

Haifa's Beram Kayal broke into the area and flashed a shot wide of the target.

At the other end Avi Strul made a last-gasp tackle to deny Derdiyok after 25

minutes as neither side could find a way through their opposition's defence in

the opening period.

After the interval Israel probed away at the home defence as they looked to

keep their slim dream of qualifying for a first World Cup finals since 1970

alive. But just as they looked to be getting on top Israel's ambitions were undermined

by the dismissal of Yadin for a second yellow card after 59 minutes.

Three minutes later Switzerland should have gone ahead as Derdiyok spurned the

best chance of the game.

The 21-year-old Basle striker broke free of his markers to meet a cross but in

his desire to keep his effort down he headed the ball straight into the turf

only to watch it bounce up and over Dudu Aouate's goal.

The Swiss were therefore forced to endure a nervy final 30 minutes, knowing an

equalising goal would see them cast into a play-off position with Greece winning

their match in Athens. But Hitzfeld's side held on to ensure they will travel to South Africa and qualify for back-to-back World Cup finals for the first time since 1966.