Ireland Rout Israel 3-0 Amid Handshake Boycott

Ireland's players and Israel's did not shake hands before their UEFA Nations League fixture in Debrecen, and the customary exchange of pennants between the two sides did not take place either. Captains Dara O'Shea and Manor Solomon passed each other without a handshake after the coin toss. Ireland's players wore black armbands and bowed their heads during the Israeli anthem.

The match itself was one-sided. Troy Parrott opened the scoring in the 13th minute, Adam Idah added a second three minutes later, and Jack Moylan made it 3-0 by the 25th minute. Ireland held only 36% of possession but made their chances count, while Israel had the better of the ball without troubling the scoreboard. Yellow cards went to Raz Shlomo, Idah and Conor Coventry.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu had refused to take part, with several team-mates said to be considering joining him, and the squad reportedly held a vote before deciding against a boycott. That backdrop had followed a public dispute: the FAI had asked Uefa to keep Ireland and Israel apart in the draw, a request Uefa rejected.

Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson gave conflicting accounts of where things stood on the return fixture. Speaking after the win, he said the matter was settled.

Yet in an earlier interview he had described the squad as still undecided, and pointed to a split of opinion within the camp.

The return match is scheduled for 4 October. Ireland sit third in their Nations League group on 3 points after two matches, with Hungary above them on the same tally, and Israel fourth without a point. Sheva, Murphy and McCabe have scored Ireland's goals in the campaign so far. A fuller account of the Debrecen match, including the lineups, is available in our match report.