In a near-empty stadium in Debrecen, with the political tension surrounding the fixture hanging heavily over the evening, Ireland found clarity on the pitch. Wearing black armbands in tribute to victims of the Gaza conflict, Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side beat Israel 3-0 in Hungary to revive their UEFA Nations League campaign.
The Group 3, League B match was moved to neutral territory for security reasons and passed without any major incident. Ireland had considered a boycott before the game, while Hallgrimsson had admitted beforehand that “nobody feels comfortable playing these matches”. The pre-match protocol was also reduced: captains Manor Solomon and Dara O’Shea did not exchange pennants or shake hands after the coin toss.
After an uncertain opening 10 minutes, Ireland took control with three goals before the half-hour. Troy Parrott opened the scoring in the 13th minute, finishing right-footed through Daniel Peretz’s legs after James Abankwah pulled the ball back following poor Israeli defending.
Jack Moylan then supplied Adam Idah, who ran beyond the defence and struck a right-footed finish for 2-0 three minutes later. Moylan completed Ireland’s rapid burst in the 25th minute, beating the Israeli back line for pace before scoring himself. He celebrated by kissing first his black armband and then the Ireland badge on his shirt, as around 20 Irish supporters watched from the stands.
There were a few flashes of frustration in a physical contest, but German referee Harm Osmers quickly contained them. He spoke to both captains after a series of tough challenges around the half-hour mark, then booked Raz Shlomo and Idah when a confrontation threatened to develop in the 59th minute. Conor Coventry received a late yellow card for a dangerous challenge in the 89th minute.
Israel did create chances after the interval, but Caoimhin Kelleher made important saves in the 54th, 75th and 86th minutes to preserve Ireland’s clean sheet.
The result gives Ireland a response after their opening 1-0 defeat to Kosovo. Israel, beaten 3-1 by Austria in their first fixture, remain bottom of the group. The teams will meet again on 4 October, with the return game set to be staged in Backa Topola, Serbia, because of security concerns.
