Arabic version: جمهورية أيرلندا ستخوض مباراتها الثانية أمام إسرائيل

According to BBC News, Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson says the team will play its second Uefa Nations League match against Israel as planned. The behind-closed-doors fixture is due to take place in Serbia on Sunday.

Hallgrimsson’s side beat Israel 3-0 in Hungary on Sunday after Republic of Ireland players voted to fulfil the fixture. The team had faced calls to withdraw from the matches because of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, while the Stop The Game campaign issued an open letter calling for Ireland to pull out of the second game.

Speaking before Thursday’s match against Austria in Dublin, Hallgrimsson said the Football Association of Ireland had confirmed its intention to play both Israel games. “The FAI has said we are playing both games. That was our intention when we came into the camp and it is still our intention,” he said. “We are trying to focus on the football. It is already decided we will fulfil the games.”

Doubts over the first Israel match emerged after Ireland’s pre-match news conference was postponed because of a squad meeting. When it began more than five hours later than scheduled, FAI chief executive David Courell said a player vote to play had passed by a “significant majority”. During the game, Ireland’s players did not take part in pre-match formalities, wore black armbands and bowed their heads during Israel’s national anthem.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu made himself unavailable for both Israel fixtures, saying he felt it “would be wrong to participate”, but has returned to training before the Austria game. Hallgrimsson praised Bazunu and said Luton keeper Josh Keeley would take his place in the squad for the second Israel match. The head coach also praised midfielder Finn Azaz, who has family links to Israel on his mother’s side, for his “incredible emotional control”.