Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in Nations League after players vote to play

The Republic of Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in the Nations League in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday, September 27, with all three goals arriving before half-time. The result came after a disputed build-up in which Irish players faced calls to boycott the fixture because of the war in Gaza.

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Troy Parrott opened the scoring and Adam Idah added the second before Jack Moylan struck in the 25th minute. AFP reported that Parrott celebrated with a heart-shaped hand gesture, while Moylan kissed his black armband and Ireland badge after scoring. Israel were the designated home team despite the Hungarian venue.

BBC Sport reported that neither side exchanged handshakes before or after the game. Captains Dara O'Shea and Manor Solomon also did not exchange pennants. Ireland's players bowed their heads during Israel's national anthem and wore black armbands, which FAI chief executive David Courell said recognised lives lost in the Gaza conflict.

The squad had voted to play following a lengthy meeting at their Debrecen hotel on Saturday, according to the BBC. Courell said the decision passed by a significant majority. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu subsequently withdrew, explaining that he believed participating in either of the two scheduled games against Israel would be wrong.

Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson told RTE before kick-off that the scrutiny had made the week particularly challenging and that players had mixed emotions about the match, the BBC reported. Attendance was sparse: AFP described a near-empty stadium, and the Irish federation had not reserved tickets for its supporters.

The victory followed Ireland's 1-0 defeat away to Kosovo in their Nations League opener. The FAI's match report recorded a late winning header by Vedat Muriqi in Pristina after an Ermal Krasniqi effort hit the crossbar. Ireland therefore followed a scoreless opening match with three goals and a clean sheet.

The return match against Israel is scheduled for October 4 in Backa Topola, Serbia. BBC Sport reported that Ireland's home fixture was moved from Dublin and will be played behind closed doors, with the FAI citing operational difficulties in staging it at home.