Ireland will play Israel in the Nations League on Sunday night after the Irish players voted against a boycott of the fixture. The match had been in doubt after campaigners urged the team to refuse to play, and pre-match training and press conferences were also delayed.
Gavin Bazunu makes himself unavailable
Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has chosen to make himself unavailable for the Israel clash. In a statement, Bazunu explained: "Representing my country means everything to me. I have the utmost respect for every single one of my team-mates, the manager, his staff and the Irish people. However, I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle, therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel. My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region."
Match location and kick-off time
Israel will host Ireland at a neutral ground in Hungary on Sunday, September 27. The game will be played at Nagyerdei Stadion and will kick off at 7.45pm.
TV and streaming details
The Nations League match will not be on TV in the UK. However, coverage in Ireland will be available on RTE2. Amazon Prime Video will stream the game from 7.35pm for £2.49. The RTE Player will also show the match online.
Recent results
Ireland lost their first Nations League match, with Kosovo claiming the three points thanks to a goal from Vedat Muriqi. Israel are also sitting on zero points after Austria beat them 3-1 last Thursday.
