Ireland beat Israel 3-0 to end fractious weekend with Nations League win

DEBRECEN, Hungary, Sept 27 : Ireland struck three times in the first half to cruise to a 3-0 Nations League victory over Israel on Sunday after a fraught weekend for the team following goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s withdrawal from the squad amid a dispute over whether to play the match.

Ireland has been one of Europe's most outspoken critics of Israel's war in Gaza, and protests calling for the team to boycott the fixture prompted Bazunu to make himself unavailable. The game went ahead only after a majority of the Irish players voted to play.

Shlomi Barzel, the Israeli Football Association's communications chief, said on Saturday that “football has won” after the players decided to fulfil the fixture despite calls for a boycott.

Bazunu's withdrawal led coach Heimir Hallgrimsson to name defender Jimmy Dunne as Ireland’s emergency third goalkeeper. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has also faced fierce criticism from fans and political figures, many of whom accused it of failing to provide the players with sufficient direction.

With Israel's home games taking place in Debrecen, Hungary's second-largest city, the game unfolded in a subdued atmosphere reminiscent of the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when attendance restrictions left stadiums largely empty.

There were a few hundred Israeli supporters and a handful of Irish fans in the ground, and the shouts of coaches and players could be clearly heard throughout. 

The Irish players wore black armbands in memory of all those killed in the conflict and bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem. There was no exchange of pennants or pre-match handshakes.

Striker Troy Parrott netted the opener in the 14th minute, with Adam Idah scoring two minutes later and