Israel lost 3-0 to Ireland in the Nations League on Sunday night. The two teams did not exchange pennants at the start of the match, as is customary, and did not shake hands after the national anthems. The Irish players also bowed their heads during the playing of "Hatikva."
The Irish players wore black armbands, which their delegation said were a mark of respect for "all lives lost in the conflict." Israel's delegation said the Irish team had informed UEFA that its players would not shake hands with their Israeli opponents, and that UEFA had accepted the decision.
Ran Ben Shimon's starting lineup featured Daniel Peretz in goal; Nikita Stoyanov, Guy Mizrahi and Raz Shlomo in defense; Anan Khalaili and Roy Revivo at full-back; Eliel Peretz, Gabi Kanichowsky and Manor Solomon in midfield; and Oscar Gloukh and Dor Turgeman up front.
After an opening spell in which both teams circulated the ball and looked for weaknesses in the opposing defense, Ireland took the lead in the 13th minute. James Abankwah capitalized on an error by Shlomo and crossed to Troy Parrott, who easily slotted home to make it 1-0.
Three minutes later, forward Adam Idah received a through ball from Jack Moylan and found himself one-on-one with Peretz. Idah kept his composure to double Ireland's lead.
In the 25th minute, it was Moylan's turn to score. He broke down the right flank and ran unchallenged as Israel's defenders got tangled up with one another. Moylan sent the ball into the far corner of Peretz's goal to make it 3-0.
Israel had several chances to reduce the deficit but failed to capitalize. A free kick awarded to the blue-and-white team on the edge of the box after Ireland's second goal ended with a short pass and a turnover.
The score remained 3-0 at halftime.
At the start of the second half, Dor Peretz came on in midfield for Mizrahi.
Peretz came close to pulling one back for Israel in the 51st minute after receiving a cross from Solomon and unleashing a powerful shot that Caoimhín Kelleher saved. Two minutes later, the West Ham player created another chance for Eliel Peretz, who fired a powerful shot from 25 meters, but Kelleher dived to make another save.
Despite a strong spell for Israel in the ensuing minutes, it could not find the goal it needed to reduce the deficit.
The match was played in Debrecen as Israel's home fixture, with a limited number of spectators in attendance. A small group of Israeli fans waved national flags and wore scarves bearing the colors of the national team and local clubs, while one fan held a Druze flag.
Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrímsson said days before the match: "We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide. We are playing against Israel, not with Israel."
The remarks drew a sharp response from the Israel Football Association, which accused the Icelandic coach of "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy."
The Irish players subsequently considered boycotting the match, but after holding a vote, a "significant majority" voted to play. The team had confirmed only on Saturday that it would take part in the match, amid pressure to boycott its two upcoming fixtures.
Backup goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu said he would withdraw from the squad over the decision to play, saying it would be "wrong" for him to take part, "based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong."
Israel Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also criticized the Irish team before the match, drawing a comparison with an Ireland-Germany game in Bremen in 1939. Sa'ar wrote on X that Irish players had given the Nazi salute before that match and accused Ireland of again being "on the wrong side of history."
In May 1939, the Irish national football team travelled to Bremen for a match against the German national team. In order to “honour the hosts,” the Irish players stood before kick-off and gave the Nazi salute as the German anthem “Deutschland über alles,” was played. During
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Ireland’s football team. Giving Nazi salute. Playing Nazi Germany. In 1939. No wonder they’re having a meltdown having to play some Jews today.
He also accused the Irish team of standing "on the side of Palestinian terrorism," and wrote that the black armbands worn by the players carried "the black flag of jihadism."
Ireland's "home" fixture against Israel is scheduled to take place in Backa Topola, Serbia, on October 4.
