Blue-and-white earns point against Ireland, but relegation battle looms

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Israel and Ireland played to a 1-1 draw in their UEFA Nations League match, with Israel’s Dor Peretz scoring the equalizer after conceding a penalty earlier in the game. The result leaves Israel with just two points from four matches, putting them at risk of relegation as they face two crucial games in November.

Israel and Ireland played to a 1-1 draw on Sunday at the TSC Arena in Bačka Topola, Serbia, in a UEFA Nations League Group G League B match. The result provided Israel with a valuable point after Dublin had claimed a 3-0 victory over the blue-and-white in their previous encounter.

Troy Parrott opened the scoring for Ireland in the 39th minute by converting a penalty awarded after Israeli midfielder Dor Peretz fouled defender Jimmy Dunne inside the penalty area. However, Peretz redeemed himself early in the second half by capitalizing on a loose ball from Oscar Gloukh to level the score. Following the equalizer, Israel mounted sustained pressure and sought the winning goal but were unable to break through Ireland’s defense.

The draw leaves Israel with two points from four Nations League matches, placing the team in a precarious position as it faces the risk of relegation to League C. With two games scheduled in November, Israel’s coach Ran Ben Shimon acknowledged the challenge ahead, highlighting the team’s depleted squad due to injuries and illness but expressing confidence in his players’ efforts.

“We gave everything that we could,” Ben Shimon said after the match. “I don’t know if we have anything left in the tank to give in this window after four games. We had so many sick players and others with injuries, but we did the best that we could and everyone gave a huge effort. We were very motivated coming into this game and we did the maximum. I believed in my players and I hope that they believe in me too.”

Peretz, who scored his first goal after conceding the penalty, stressed that while he was pleased to contribute, the team still needed to improve. “I’m very happy that I was able to score, but it was just the equalizer and not the winning goal,” he said. “Nonetheless, we were able to get a point out of this game. Going forward, we need to take the aggressiveness that we showed in this game into the next as well. We took two of 12 points and while it’s not enough, we are in a very difficult group.”

Israel’s ability to respond after the heavy defeat last week demonstrated resilience, but the limited points accumulated so far leave little room for error. The team will need to maintain the intensity and attacking intent displayed against Ireland in order to improve its standing and avoid relegation in the final matches of the group stage.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.