Ireland Beat Israel 3-0 as Parrott, Idah and Moylan Score

Republic of Ireland responded to their Kosovo setback with a 3-0 win over Israel in Debrecen, with Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan all scoring before half-time in a match the squad had voted to play.

Match and fixture board

The result came after a turbulent build-up in which the Ireland players held an emergency meeting lasting four hours following goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s withdrawal from the camp. The squad ultimately decided by vote to fulfil the fixture, despite calls for a boycott.

Bazunu had chosen not to take part in protest at what he described as atrocities in the region. The late decision caused disruption within the group, but manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said the goalkeeper remains part of his plans and was contacted by the team after the final whistle.

Hallgrimsson said the squad supported Bazunu’s choice and hoped he would remain involved, while accepting the situation may be especially difficult for the goalkeeper. He added that no-one objected to Bazunu making the decision, although an earlier call would have made preparations easier.

The manager said it was the first occasion on which the players had been divided over a decision, creating discomfort inside the camp. But he stressed that the group came together to see out the game.

Hallgrimsson also defended his players after criticism from outside the camp, saying much of the reaction had gone too far. He praised the side’s character, arguing that difficult circumstances had brought leadership to the surface and that their performance showed their commitment to representing Ireland.

Ireland had arrived in Debrecen after a 1-0 defeat to Kosovo in Pristina, making the emphatic first-half display a timely boost for their group prospects. Attention now turns to Austria in Dublin on Thursday, October 1, before another neutral-ground meeting with Israel in Serbia three days later.