Ireland vs Austria game interrupted by protests over upcoming Israel matches
Activists threw tennis balls onto the Aviva Stadium pitch and invaded the field to demand a sporting boycott of Israel.
Pro-Palestine protests twice interrupted the Republic of Ireland’s football match against Austria in Dublin, amid intensifying public pressure on the team to boycott its upcoming fixtures against Israel.
The Nations League clash at the Aviva Stadium was first halted in the 20th minute when tennis balls, covered in Palestinian flag stickers and the campaign hashtag "#StopTheGame", were thrown onto the pitch. The campaign group Stop the Game later said in a statement that it had organised the protest. Both sets of players used the brief stoppage as an unscheduled hydration break while ground staff cleared the field.
About 15 minutes later, play was stopped again when a spectator carrying a Palestinian flag ran onto the pitch from the opposite side of the stadium. Security guards tackled the pitch invader and carried him away. The incidents followed protests outside the ground before kickoff.
The disruptions reflect deep divisions within Irish football over Ireland’s matches against Israel. The team is scheduled to play its designated "home" tie against Israel on Sunday. Due to security concerns, the fixture has been moved to Backa Topola in Serbia, where it will be played behind closed doors.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson confirmed on Wednesday that the team intends to play the matches despite the calls for a boycott. However, the controversy has already influenced selection. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who made himself unavailable for the Israel fixtures, was back in the squad, while Liam Scales and John Egan returned to the starting line-up.
On the pitch, Ireland threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2, missing the opportunity to go top of Group B3.
The hosts started brightly. Real Betis striker Troy Parrott opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a brilliant individual goal. After collecting Adam Idah’s headed pass, Parrott broke through three white-shirted defenders, nutmegged Philipp Lienhart, and placed his shot past Austria goalkeeper Florian Wiegele.
Parrott scored his second on the stroke of half-time from the penalty spot, firing home after Ryan Manning was clipped in the box by Nicolas Seiwald.
But Austria responded in the second half through their substitutes. Alexander Prass halved the deficit in the 71st minute, with the goal awarded after a video assistant referee review overturned an initial offside flag. Just six minutes later, Michael Gregoritsch beat Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher to equalise.
Ireland captain Dara O’Shea nearly found a late winner, but his shot was kept out by a diving save from Wiegele. The result leaves Ireland third in their Nations League group at the halfway stage, behind both Austria and Kosovo.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 2-2 | Match official report |
| Time of Tennis Ball Protest | 20th minute | Stop the Game statement and match footage |
| Time of Pitch Invasion | 35th minute | Match officials and stadium security reports |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland | The Irish national football team whose match was disrupted by protesters. |
| Austria | The opposing team in the Nations League match in Dublin. |
