Heads bow and the stadium falls silent: an Irish message in the face of the Zionist entity | Goal.com

Published on 04 Oct 2026 | Reading time: 2 minutes

Ireland and the Zionist entity shared a 1-1 draw on Sunday evening in Serbia in the UEFA Nations League, the Irish failing to protect their lead despite the brilliance of striker Troy Parrott, who found the net for a third match running.

Parrott opened the scoring from the penalty spot before half-time, after Jimmy Dunne was fouled inside the box. That took the forward's tally to four goals in his last three internationals. Dor Peretz hauled the Zionist entity level in the second half, pouncing on a rebound after Oscar Gloukh's shot struck Liam Scales and tucking home from close range.

Played behind closed doors at the TSC Arena, the game offered chances at both ends to settle it. Irish substitute Chiedozie Ogbene spurned a dangerous opening when goalkeeper Assaf Tzur produced a brilliant save, while the Zionist side rattled the post and the crossbar twice.

The result leaves Ireland third in the group, three points adrift of leaders Austria, who had drawn with Kosovo earlier in the day.

This clash closed a controversial international window. Calls had grown in Ireland for the national team to withdraw from both matches against the Zionist entity over the war in Gaza. The "Stop the Match" campaign staged protests before and during the clash with Austria in Dublin, yet the Football Association of Ireland chose to play both fixtures, staging them at neutral venues.

Ireland's players held firm to their protest, refusing to shake hands with the Zionist entity's players and bowing their heads during its national anthem. They also wore black armbands in mourning for all the victims of the war, while the Zionist entity's players wore black armbands to commemorate those killed in the attacks of 7 October 2023.

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