In Vienna, Israel’s Nations League night turned sharply after Saied Abu Farchi scored and then saw his celebration bring a dismissal in a 3-1 defeat to Austria.
Key takeaways
- Abu Farchi scored Israel’s goal against Austria.
- The forward was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
- Referee Georgi Kabakov judged the celebration to be offensive.
- Austria played with an extra man for almost 40 minutes.
- Two Austrian goals in stoppage time settled the contest.
A celebration that changed the match
Abu Farchi marked his goal by removing the corner flag and pointing it towards the opposite side of the pitch. Kabakov interpreted the gesture as offensive and produced a second yellow card, ending the Israeli attacker’s involvement on Thursday.
The sending-off left Israel to negotiate the closing stages with 10 men, transforming the balance of a UEFA Nations League fixture that had already carried plenty of tension.
Austria finish late
Austria used their numerical advantage over nearly 40 minutes to press the situation, although the final margin only became clear deep into added time.
Two late Austrian strikes completed the 3-1 result, leaving Israel with a defeat shaped not only by the scoreline but by Abu Farchi’s controversial exit after finding the net.
