Ireland v Austria game briefly halted by Stop the Game protesters

On Thursday, Ireland faced Austria in the Nations League at the Aviva Stadium, drawing 2-2. The match was briefly halted when tennis balls emblazoned with the Palestinian flag were thrown onto the pitch by protesters against playing against Israel. Referee suspension of the game in the 20th minute allowed players to take a cooling break.

Despite a protester attempting to enter the pitch later in the first half, the match resumed shortly after. Ireland, known for its strong stance against Israel's war in Gaza, has been protesting fixture boycotts since February. Keeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad before the Israel match but would play the Austria game. Troy Parrott gave Ireland the lead in the 12th minute, doubling the lead with a penalty in the half-time break.

Austria's Alexander Prass and Michael Gregoritsch scored to earn a 2-2 draw. The Stop the Game campaign issued a statement at halftime acknowledging the protest, describing it as a "token act" but significant for supporting Bazunu and Palestinians facing genocide. The FAI moved the home match against Israel to Serbia, with the fixture played behind closed doors.