Ireland and Israel draw as Hallgrímsson urges UEFA review

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson said UEFA should consider keeping Ireland and Israel apart in future competitions after the teams drew 1-1 in a tense Nations League match in Serbia on October 4. Hallgrímsson said the decision rested with UEFA, while Irish fitness coach Damien Doyle accused an Israeli player of spitting at him during a halftime tunnel incident. The allegation has not been independently established in the supplied accounts. Troy Parrott put Ireland ahead from a penalty in the 39th minute. Dor Peretz equalized two minutes after halftime, leaving the Group B3 match level. The fixture was played without fans at TSC Arena in Bačka Topola after the Football Association of Ireland moved it from Dublin, citing operational reasons. Hallgrímsson said he did not want to comment on Doyle’s allegation and suggested a disciplinary committee could examine it. Israel’s manager said he had not seen the incident. Hallgrímsson praised Ireland’s players for not reacting to what he characterized as provocation and said he believed the team had been tested by the two fixtures. He said UEFA would have to decide whether the countries meet again in future competitions.