BACKA TOPOLA, Serbia — Tempers flared once more as Ireland and Israel played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday in the second of their two UEFA Nations League meetings, bringing to a close a fortnight defined as much by political tension as by football.
Ireland had faced calls from some supporters and politicians to boycott the fixtures before defeating Israel 3-0 behind closed doors in Hungary in their first meeting a week ago.
“I’m absolutely delighted this is finished,” Ireland’s Icelandic coach Heimir Hallgrimsson told reporters. “It’s taken a toll out of us all. I’ve given so much credit to the players. They have been absolutely amazing in tough times, and I wish no national team to go through what we have gone through for the last two weeks.”
Political Pressure Shapes the Fixture
Ireland is one of Europe’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s war in Gaza, and the Football Association of Ireland chose to stage Sunday’s match behind closed doors in Serbia amid pressure to withdraw from the fixtures altogether.
The absence of supporters did little to ease the tension on the pitch. Irish media reported that one of Ireland’s coaches, Damien Doyle, accused an Israeli player of spitting at him after the halftime whistle. Reuters could not independently verify the allegation or establish its original source.
Asked about the spitting incident at the post-match press conference, Hallgrimsson declined to provide details. “I was there. I’m not going to comment. It’s something a disciplinary committee will look at,” he told reporters.
Israel coach Ran Ben-Shimon said he had already left the sideline and did not see what happened. “Halftime I was in the dressing room, in my room with my staff, I didn’t see anything. When I’m going to see and check, I will get back to you with the answer,” he told reporters.
No Handshakes, Black Armbands and a Tense Atmosphere
As in the first meeting, there were no pre-match handshakes or exchange of pennants, while players from each team bowed their heads during the opposing national anthem.
Ireland again wore black armbands commemorating all the victims of the conflict in Gaza, with the Israelis sporting black armbands in memory of the victims of the October 7 attack that sparked the war.
Troy Parrott gave Ireland the lead with a 39th-minute penalty, but Dor Peretz levelled immediately after the break for Israel with their first effort on target. Israel hit the woodwork twice in the second half of a poor game in which neither side could fashion a winner.
Group B3 Standings
The draw left Ireland third in Group B3 on five points, three behind leaders Austria, with second-placed Kosovo ahead of them on goal difference. Israel are bottom with two points.
Ben-Shimon welcomed his team’s response to the 3-0 defeat and rejected suggestions that his players had been overly aggressive. “When I come to a game, I say to my players, ‘This is the best way to play the cleanest football as you can, but be aggressive’, okay? I never say to injure someone, this is not our way. We are very human, human beings, we are very moral human beings,” he said.
