Ireland v Israel LIVE: Controversial Nations League clash to go ahead in Serbia after calls to boycott

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Ireland were held to a 1-1 draw in the second of their two Nations League clashes with Israel, after winning the first 3-0.

Sunday’s game was played behind closed doors and in a subdued atmosphere in Backa Topola, Serbia after calls to boycott one of the most controversial matches in football due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.

A tetchy game was marred by a spat between the two sides and their staff as they headed down the tunnel at half-time, with referee Juan Martinez Munuera quickly intervening and warning them both to “be clever”.

Troy Parrott opened the scoring six minutes before half-time after Jimmy Dunne was brought down by Israel goalkeeper Assaf Tzur in the box. Parrott was cool and composed from the spot, firing home his fourth goal of this international window, but Israel looked a different side after the restart, with Dor Peretz quickly equalising with a tidy run behind the Irish defence.

Both keepers were called into action several times in a more competitive half, with Tzur making a fingertip save from substitute Chiedozie Ogbene and Oscar Gloukh and Omri Gandelman hitting the post, but neither side could find a winner in the Group B3 clash.

Follow all the action in our live blog below:

Troy Parrott’s first-half penalty was cancelled out after the break as the Republic of Ireland played out a 1-1 Nations League draw with Israel behind closed doors in Serbia.

The Republic’s ‘home’ fixture was held on neutral territory at the 4,500-seat TSC arena in Backa Topola, due to “operational challenges” amid an ugly atmosphere between the two sides due to tensions over the Israel-Gaza war.

Parrott, who has now scored 10 times in his last seven competitive internationals, fired the Republic in front from the spot in the 39th minute before Dor Peretz drew the sides level two minutes after the restart.

At the end of this international window Ireland have registered a defeat against Kosovo (which puts them below them in the B3 table), a win and draw against Israel and a draw against current table toppers Austria.

There didn’t appear to be any outright animosity between the two teams at full-time, with both quick to get out of that eerily empty stadium.

With Ireland and Israel having now played both their Nations League fixtures against each other, there won’t be any repeats of that in the next international break, when Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side play Austria and Kosovo again.

Dropping points against Israel means Ireland sit three points off Group B3 leaders Austria after four fixtures played, level on points with Kosovo. Israel are bottom, three points further back.

A frustrating draw for Ireland having led at half-time and having had chances to win it late on, the best of them Ogbene’s half-volley well saved by Tzur.

‘90+4: Levi gets a yellow for his foul too, but Vata’s free-kick fails to beat the first man, and that’s it!

‘90+3: Levi catches Parrott and concedes a free-kick, and there’s a bit of a spat, while Gloukh gets a telling-off from the referee.

‘90: Three minutes added on. Shua blasts an attempt over the bar.

‘89: Into the closing stages. Israel have a corner but Kelleher makes a good claim.

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