Ireland players bow heads during Israel anthem as Parrott and Idah seal 3-0 Nations League win

Ireland’s players staged a silent protest during the Israel national anthem before goals from Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan gave Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side a commanding 3-0 Nations League victory in Debrecen, Hungary on Sunday. The match was played on neutral territory amid fierce opposition in Ireland over Israel’s actions in Gaza.

As the Israeli anthem played, the Irish squad stood with their heads bowed and hands clasped behind their backs. Captain Dara O’Shea maintained that posture as he walked to the centre circle for the pre-match formalities, shaking hands with the referee and his assistants but making no attempt to greet Israel captain Manor Solomon.

The squad also wore black armbands throughout the fixture. Reserve goalkeeper Gavin Bazuno had already removed himself from both Ireland games against Israel, stating on Saturday that his decision was driven by his “personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.”

The stadium was almost entirely empty. A small group of Israeli supporters were present, along with roughly ten unaffiliated spectators — among the few who celebrated when Parrott broke the deadlock in the 13th minute. Ireland supporters who had obtained tickets through the Israeli football federation reported that those tickets were cancelled on Saturday night, leaving the away end bare.

Ireland were ruthless once the game began. Idah doubled the lead just three minutes after Parrott’s opener, and Moylan added a third in the 25th minute to put the contest beyond doubt. The scoreline stood at 3-0 at the interval and remained unchanged.

The fixture had attracted significant controversy in the build-up, with protests in Ireland and calls for the Football Association of Ireland to withdraw from the tie. UEFA had already moved the game away from Dublin to Debrecen in response to security concerns.