Israel games ‘taken a toll’ on Irish players following spitting claim

Dubai: Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said the two Nations League matches against Israel had “taken a toll” on his players after a tense fortnight culminated in a 1-1 draw on Sunday, with the fixture overshadowed by a fresh allegation that an Israeli player spat at an Irish coach.

“I’m absolutely delighted this is finished,” Hallgrimsson told reporters after the match.

“It’s taken a toll out of us all.”

The Ireland coach praised his squad for dealing with the pressure surrounding the two encounters, which had been accompanied by political tension and calls from some supporters and politicians for Ireland to boycott the fixtures.

“I’ve given so much credit to the players. They have been absolutely amazing in tough times, and I wish no national team to go through what we have gone through for the last two weeks,” he said.

The first meeting between the sides took place behind closed doors in Hungary, where Ireland secured a 3-0 victory.

Sunday’s return fixture was also played without supporters, this time in Serbia, after the Football Association of Ireland decided to stage the match behind closed doors amid the controversy surrounding the games.

The lack of a crowd did little to reduce tensions, however, with Irish media reporting that Ireland coach Damien Doyle accused an Israeli player of spitting at him following the half-time whistle.

Hallgrimsson was asked about the incident after the final whistle but refused to go into detail, saying it would be dealt with by the relevant disciplinary authorities.

“I was there. I’m not going to comment. It’s something a disciplinary committee will look at,” he said.

Israel head coach Ran Ben-Shimon said he had not witnessed the alleged incident, explaining that he had already left the touchline and was in the dressing room with his staff when it occurred.

The two matches also featured a number of symbolic moments. There were no pre-match handshakes or exchanges of pennants, while players from both teams stood in silence during the opposing national anthem.

Ireland again wore black armbands in memory of those killed during the war in Gaza, while Israel’s players wore black armbands commemorating the victims of the October 7, 2023, attacks.

After a fortnight marked by football, political debate and mounting tension, Hallgrímsson was simply relieved to see the two fixtures come to an end.