A rematch in an empty Serbian stadium, seven days after Ireland won 3-0
The Republic of Ireland play Israel on Sunday, 4 October 2026, on matchday four of UEFA Nations League B, Group 3, with kick-off at 20:45 CEST. It is nominally an Ireland home game, but UEFA approved the FAI’s request to stage it overseas, at a neutral venue in Bačka Topola in northern Serbia and behind closed doors, after Garda advice that staging it in Dublin presented operational challenges. The first meeting in Debrecen a week ago ended 3-0 to Ireland, with all three goals inside 25 minutes, and the week since has been shaped by protests at the Aviva during the 2-2 with Austria, Gavin Bazunu’s decision not to play either Israel game, and an Israeli side that drew 0-0 with Kosovo while missing four clear chances. Kosovo play Austria at 18:00, so both teams will know the table before kick-off.
„This week has not only been difficult physically, but it has been mentally difficult“ – Heimir Hallgrímsson after the draw with Austria.
Predicted lineups: Republic of Ireland vs Israel
No Irish outlet had published a projected eleven for Serbia by Friday. The known constraints are that Abankwah is suspended after his 61st-minute yellow card against Austria, that Bazunu has left the camp and Kelleher continues in goal, and that Hallgrímsson flagged fatigue so openly that some rotation is plausible without being announced. Jake O’Brien, who played right-back in Debrecen and came on for Abankwah against Austria, is the obvious replacement, and Ken Early argued in the Irish Times that Azaz should stay in the deeper midfield role he filled on Thursday. Israel’s side is built on ynet’s reporting: Asaf Tzur, who debuted against Kosovo, is expected to keep his place after Daniel Peretz’s injury and Omri Glazer’s illness, Khalaili is doubtful with the knock he took on Thursday, Dor Turgeman could return for Tai Baribo, and Ben Shimon is expected to keep the back three he switched to against Kosovo.
Republic of Ireland Team News & Preview
The Austria game told you both things about this Ireland side. For 70 minutes they were the better team against the group leaders: Parrott beat Lienhart repeatedly, nutmeg included, for a solo goal on 12 minutes, then converted a penalty on 45 after Manning had been fouled, and the plan of long balls from Kelleher over Austria’s press to Idah and Moylan worked. Then the legs went. Prass pulled one back on 71, Gregoritsch’s free-kick wrong-footed Kelleher on 77, and Hallgrímsson said afterwards that „we lost organisation due to tiredness“ and that he had expected the team to run out of gas, „but maybe not so quickly“. He described the week as mentally as well as physically difficult, with the protests, the squad vote on whether to play Israel at all, and Bazunu’s withdrawal all sitting over the camp.
Parrott is the reason Ireland start as favourites. He has scored in nine consecutive internationals, all of them competitive, with three in this window including the opener in Debrecen, and Hallgrímsson called him „fantastic for the last two years“ and said he is „flying“. Idah and Moylan also scored against Israel, and Moylan has started every game of the window. The losses are Abankwah, suspended, and Nathan Collins, out with a calf problem, which means Dara O’Shea captains again. Against Israel in Debrecen, Ireland „dominated throughout“ and Israel posed no threat; the question is whether a side on its fourth game in eleven days, having flown Pristina, Debrecen, Dublin and now northern Serbia, can produce the same intensity for 90 minutes.
What works for or against Ireland
- A 3-0 win over this opponent seven days ago with goals from Parrott, Idah and Moylan inside 25 minutes, and no Israeli threat all night.
- Parrott has scored in nine consecutive Ireland games and had the two best moments of the Austria match; Moylan and Idah have also scored in the window.
- Abankwah suspended, Collins injured, Bazunu gone, and a manager who says the team ran out of gas after 70 minutes on Thursday.
- Fourth game in eleven days in a fourth city, an empty stadium instead of the Aviva, and a week the manager calls mentally draining.
Israel Team News & Preview
One point and one goal from three games is Israel’s return, and the goal came from Abu Farhi, who was then sent off a minute later for a corner-flag celebration in Linz. The 0-3 against Ireland was the low point – three conceded inside 25 minutes, Ben Shimon saying he was „ashamed of what I saw“ and that the team would „continue with me or without me“ – and Thursday’s 0-0 with Kosovo was a partial recovery with the same old problem. Israel sat in a back three, had Abada and Baribo one-on-one with the goalkeeper inside two minutes of each other around the half-hour, saw Feingold miss a clear chance late on, and scored none of them. Ben Shimon counted „four 100 per cent chances“; captain Manor Solomon said the lack of quality „is on me and my team-mates“.
The squad news is poor. Daniel Peretz has a hamstring tear and has left the camp, Glazer missed Kosovo with a fever, so the debutant Tzur is expected to start again; Khalaili went off with a knock and is doubtful; Revivo may return from a minor injury. Abu Farhi is available after his ban. What Israel showed in Debrecen on Thursday is that they can at least keep a shape – it was their first clean sheet of the window – and that they create something when Solomon and Abada break. Solomon has made it personal, saying after the first game that „it’ll be a completely different game“ and that Israel „are waiting“ for the rematch. But a side with one goal in three games, missing its first-choice goalkeeper, against the opponent that beat it 3-0 a week ago, is one I expect to lose again.
What works for or against Israel
- One goal in three games, a 0-3 against this opponent a week ago, and a manager who said he was ashamed of the performance.
- Daniel Peretz out with a hamstring tear, Glazer ill, Khalaili doubtful – a debutant goalkeeper behind a reshuffled back three.
- A first clean sheet of the window against Kosovo and four clear chances created; Abu Farhi is back from suspension.
- Solomon has promised a different game and Israel have the shorter trip, from Debrecen rather than Dublin.
Republic of Ireland vs Israel Odds
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Republic of Ireland vs. Israel Stats Comparison
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Republic of Ireland vs. Israel Form Guide
Republic of Ireland Form, Stats & Data
Five goals scored and three conceded in three games, from a side that managed one shot on target in Pristina and then scored three in 25 minutes in Debrecen. The swing is Parrott: nine goals in nine consecutive internationals, two different kinds of goal against Austria, and a strike partner in Idah who gives Kelleher an out-ball. What I take from the Austria game is that Ireland’s intensity is real and finite – 70 minutes of control, then two goals conceded in six. Against Israel that may be enough, because the first meeting was decided before the half-hour, and that is why I back the win at a moderate stake rather than a handicap.
Israel Form, Stats & Data
One goal scored and six conceded in three games, and the one goal was followed within a minute by a red card. The Kosovo draw showed a tighter shape in a back three and, for the first time this window, real chances – four of them by the manager’s count – but the finishing from Abada, Baribo and Feingold was not there. Without Daniel Peretz in goal and with Khalaili doubtful, the defence that conceded three to Ireland in 25 minutes is weaker rather than stronger. I expect Israel to be more organised than in Debrecen and still to lose, and a clean sheet for Ireland is a live alternative.
Republic of Ireland vs Israel: Prediction & Betting Tip
For me, the first meeting carries most of the weight. Ireland scored three in 25 minutes in Debrecen, Israel posed no threat, and since then Israel have lost their goalkeeper to injury, have a doubt in Khalaili, and have scored once in three games while Ireland’s striker has scored in nine straight. The venue is empty and neutral for both sides, which removes any home advantage but also removes the Aviva protests from the equation, and Israel’s improvement against Kosovo was a clean sheet, not goals.
The strongest argument against is Irish fatigue. Hallgrímsson said his team ran out of gas after 70 minutes against Austria and described the week as mentally draining; this is the fourth game in eleven days in a fourth country, Abankwah is suspended, and Israel created four clear chances on Thursday that a better finisher would have taken. A 1-1 or a scrappy 1-0 either way is well within range, and Israel’s back three did make them harder to break down. That is why the stake is three, and why Israel failing to score, which pays more, is the alternative rather than a bigger stake on the win.
My main bet is **Republic of Ireland to win at 2.04 with MyStake**. My correct-score pick is 2-0.