Hallgrimsson urges UEFA to separate Ireland and Israel after tense draw
Ireland’s second meeting with Israel finished 1-1 at the TSC Arena in Serbia, where the Republic’s designated home match was relocated and played behind closed doors because of operational security concerns. Troy Parrott’s penalty gave Ireland a first-half lead, but Dor Peretz equalised two minutes after the interval in a match marked by tension on and off the pitch.
A fraught second meeting
- Ireland had beaten Israel 3-0 in Debrecen in their previous meeting last month, a fixture also played amid geopolitical strain.
- The return game was moved to Serbia, with no supporters admitted to the TSC Arena. Commercial branding was removed from the playing surface, while both teams wore black armbands carrying different messages connected to the Middle East conflict.
- Parrott converted a penalty before half-time to put the Boys in Green in front.
- Peretz brought Israel level two minutes into the second half, and neither side found a winner.
- A confrontation involving players broke out close to the tunnel at half-time. The dispute did not end with the match and tensions between the squads continued after the final whistle.
The tunnel incident could now be examined by UEFA’s disciplinary processes. Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson declined to give his version of the confrontation after the game, saying he had witnessed it but would not comment because it was likely to be considered by a disciplinary committee.
Hallgrimsson calls for UEFA action
Relations between the teams had already worsened after the Israeli government criticised Ireland’s players for lowering their heads during Israel’s national anthem, describing the gesture as “moral blindness”.
Asked whether Ireland and Israel should be paired against each other again, Hallgrimsson said UEFA should consider intervention. He pointed to the strong level of support for Palestine in Ireland and said no national team should have to experience what his squad had faced across the two fixtures.
“No, they shouldn’t,” Hallgrimsson said when asked if the countries should meet again. “That’s not ours to decide — that’s UEFA who decides that. Obviously, there’s a big support for Palestine in Ireland. There’s not many countries that support Palestine as much as Ireland does. I wouldn’t wish any national team to go through what we’ve gone through in these two weeks, so maybe UEFA just needs to step in and do something.”
Group B3 picture
The draw leaves Ireland third in Group B3, level on points with second-placed Kosovo. Their attention now turns to an away fixture against Austria on November 14.
Three days later, Ireland are due to host Kosovo in a significant meeting between the group rivals, with automatic promotion and a possible play-off place still at stake.
