Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson praised Troy Parrott following the striker’s two-goal performance in Thursday’s 2-2 Nations League draw against Austria at the Aviva Stadium. The 24-year-old Real Betis forward opened the scoring with a striking goal and later converted a first-half penalty, though Austria managed to equalize twice during the match.

Hallgrimsson highlighted Parrott’s overall contribution to the team, noting not only his goal-scoring ability but also his defensive discipline and work rate. “I know he has a special gift going forward scoring goals, but I always say that what I see in him, that I don’t see in many other attackers, is his defensive discipline and hard work for the defensive structure as well,” the manager said. “I hope he just continues to improve. But it’s magical for Irish football to have him in the green shirt.”

The result leaves the Republic of Ireland in third place in their Nations League group. Despite this standing, Hallgrimsson emphasized the team’s focus on their forthcoming fixture against Israel rather than the overall group position. “We should not be thinking about the top spot. We should be thinking on the next game [against Israel],” he stated.

Ireland’s performance, spearheaded by Parrott’s efforts, underscores the squad’s potential as they seek to improve their standing in the competition.