Ireland beat Israel 3-0 as first-half goals settle Nations League match

The Republic of Ireland defeated Israel 3-0 in their Nations League match in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday, September 27, with all three goals arriving before the half-hour mark. Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan scored in the League B, Group 3 fixture, according to The Irish Times' match report.

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Parrott opened the scoring in the 14th minute, and Idah doubled the advantage two minutes later after receiving a pass from Moylan. Moylan then added the third in the 25th minute. The sequence put Ireland three goals clear in an 11-minute spell, establishing the margin that remained at the final whistle.

The match also featured a series of gestures by the Irish players amid controversy over the fixture and the war in Gaza. BBC Sport reported that the teams did not exchange pre-match handshakes, Ireland's players bowed their heads during Israel's anthem, and the captains did not exchange pennants. The Irish squad also wore black armbands.

Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said afterwards that the players' actions had brought international attention to the issue, BBC Sport reported, citing his interview with RTE. The squad had voted to play during a meeting at their hotel on Saturday. FAI chief executive David Courell said the vote passed by a substantial majority and described the armbands as recognising all lives lost in the conflict.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad on Saturday, saying he could not participate in either match against Israel. Hallgrimsson confirmed after Sunday's game that Bazunu would be included for Thursday's fixture against Austria in Dublin, but would not take part in the second Israel match. The coach said nobody in the group had challenged the goalkeeper's decision to take that stand.

Ireland are scheduled to host Austria at the Aviva Stadium on October 1 before facing Israel again on October 4. The FAI has confirmed that the return meeting will be staged behind closed doors at TSC Arena in Backa Topola, Serbia. UEFA approved the relocation after the association cited operational difficulties with holding the fixture in Ireland.