Israel defeated Brazil 1-0 in a tight contest ©Twitter/WBC

Israel are one win away from advancing to the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) after they beat Brazil 1-0 today at MCU Park in  Brooklyn in New York City. 

The fourth and final qualification tournament for next year's WBC continued at New York Mets' Class A affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones on Coney Island, with both Israel and Great Britain picking up victories.

Israel faced Brazil in the winner's bracket game after both teams won their first matches yesterday.

As a result of the win Israel have now progressed straight to the Championship Game on Sunday (September 25), with Brazil given a second chance to progress with a game against Britain, winners of the elimination game against Pakistan.

Both Britain and Pakistan lost their first matches with the latter country now eliminated. 

Israel's win came in a tightly contested affair between the tournament's two favourites.

A lot of credit was given to both teams' pitchers, with their impressive performances making it almost impossible to score any runs.

Great Britain beat Pakistan to keep their hopes alive ©Twitter/WBC
Great Britain beat Pakistan to keep their hopes alive ©Twitter/WBC

"We don't want to accept losing ball games, but if we get beat like we did today - because their pitchers pitched well - you've got to give credit where credit is due," said Brazil manager Barry Larkin.

Brazil's offence was suppressed by Israel's Corey Baker, a minor league player and a native New Yorker, who threw five innings of scoreless one-hit balls with six strikeouts.

Cody Decker then scored the only run of the game.

Britain responded well to losing to Israel on day one by securing a comfortable 14-0 win over Pakistan to keep their chances of qualifying alive.

Six runs in the fifth innings took the game out of reach for Pakistan as Britain added a further four in the sixth and seventh, before the game was ended.

In February, Australia won a qualifying tournament in Sydney to reach the WBC.

Defending champions Dominican Republic and the 2013 runners-up Puerto Rico will also be competing.

Also qualified are Japan, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, China, The Netherlands, Italy, Cuba, United States, Venezuela and Canada.

Japan, Mexico and the US will also host pools, as well as South Korea.

The winner in Brooklyn on Sunday will compete in Pool B against the hosts South Korea as well as The Netherlands and Chinese Taipei.