Hamas out, Ireland in: Israel's next war is on the soccer field

The Republic of Ireland secured a 3-0 victory over Israel in an emotionally charged Nations League match on Sunday, despite initial concerns raised by the players and protests from supporters due to the ongoing war in Gaza. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad, leading to Ireland's emergency third goalkeeper, Jimmy Dunne, being named.

Players wore black armbands in memory of those killed in the conflict and refused to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts before the game. The match took place in a near-empty venue in Debrecen, Hungary, with only a few hundred Israeli supporters and a handful of Irish fans in attendance. Striker Troy Parrott opened the scoring in the 14th minute, followed by goals from Adam Idah two minutes later and a well-executed third from Jack Moylan in the 25th minute.

Moylan celebrated his goal by removing his armband and kissing it. Ireland now sits third in the group with three points, trailing leaders Austria by three points. The match was notable for the lack of pre-game rituals, including no exchange of pennants or handshakes between the captains. Ireland's next fixture against Israel is scheduled for October 4 in Serbia, to be played behind closed doors.

Meanwhile, Greece stunned Germany 1-0 in Group A2, marking their first victory in 11 matches against the Germans and securing the top spot in their group with six points from two matches, while Germany remains on one point.