Ireland and Israel draw amid spitting row and intimidation allegations

The Republic of Ireland and Israel played out a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Nations League, according to reports by the BBC, Yahoo Sports, and The Times of Israel. Yahoo Sports and Al Jazeera reported that a member of Ireland coaching staff, Damien Doyle, alleged he was spat at by an Israeli player during a half-time altercation. [5][6][8][9]

Following the match, Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson stated that the Israeli team tried to intimidate Ireland, as reported by the BBC and Yahoo Sports. Al Jazeera reported that Hallgrimsson said a disciplinary committee will examine the spitting allegations, adding that he was delighted the games were over. Sky Sports reported that Hallgrimsson called on UEFA to separate Ireland and Israel in future competitions. [5][6][8][10]

During the match, players from both teams wore black armbands, and Irish players refused handshakes with the Israel team, according to AP News and The Times of Israel. AP News reported that Hallgrimsson hailed the match as a defining moment for Ireland following the tense exchanges on the pitch. The Irish Times reported that UEFA is awaiting reports regarding the spitting incident. [1][7][9]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, the fixture was scheduled to be played in Serbia behind closed doors. The pre-match press conference had been cut short after Israeli journalists questioned Hallgrimsson regarding a flight incident and allegations of racial abuse, which the Football Association of Ireland rejected. [15][16]