Ireland’s squad faced pressure from groups urging it to boycott the fixture. The Stop The Game campaign, led by Irish Sport for Palestine, drew broad support. The team chose to play after a lengthy meeting at its hotel in Debrecen on Saturday. Separately, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the national squad, saying he felt taking part in two matches against Israel was inconsistent with his position on the conflict.
The captains, Ireland’s Dara O’Shea and Israel’s Manor Solomon, did not shake hands or exchange team gifts. Irish players wore black armbands in memory of those killed in Gaza. After scoring his side’s third goal, midfielder Jack Moylan kissed the armband and then the badge on his shirt. A small number of Israeli supporters jeered the Irish players during their warm-up. The Football Association of Ireland had decided not to sell tickets to Irish supporters, although some were seen inside the stadium.
Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Moylan scored in the first half. The result gave Ireland its first win of this Group B3 campaign, following a loss to Kosovo. Israel increased pressure after the break but could not score, while goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher kept a clean sheet.
Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said the controversy had put the team, especially its younger players, under significant pressure and disrupted preparations. He called it one of the most challenging weeks of his coaching career and said the staff’s responsibility was to protect players and provide support.
The dispute had been building for months. In November last year, the Irish association approved a motion urging UEFA to suspend Israel from its competitions, and more than 160 Irish athletes signed an open letter calling for a boycott. This week, the Israeli Football Association criticized Hallgrimsson over comments on Gaza; the coach later acknowledged that a word he had used was inaccurate.
The report says the current war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Israel then launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza. Gaza’s Hamas-administered health ministry has reported more than 73,000 deaths; the United Nations considers the figure credible.