Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has confirmed their second Nations League match against Israel will go ahead this weekend despite calls for a boycott.
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match → confirm → boycott
Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in their first fixture in Hungary on Sunday night, with goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu having pulled out of the highly-charged match on ethical grounds.
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Bazunu → beat → grounds
A petition to stop the game going ahead had been signed by almost 20,000.
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game → stop → 20,000
Hundreds of pubs in Ireland refused to show the first encounter and have vowed to do so again for Sunday's game, while there were protests outside the team hotel in Dublin.
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Hundreds → refuse → Dublin
Speaking ahead of Thursday's match against Austria in Dublin, Hallgrimsson confirmed his side will face Israel again this Sunday.
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side → speak → Israel
'The FAI [Football Association of Ireland] has said we are playing both games,' Hallgrimsson said.
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Hallgrimsson → say → games
'That was our intention when we came into the camp and it is still our intention.
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it → come → camp
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has confirmed their second Nations League match with Israel will go ahead this weekend
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match → confirm → Israel
The Republic of Ireland team snubbed the Israeli national anthem before their Nations League clash on Sunday
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team → snub → Sunday
We are trying to focus on the football.
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We → try → football
It is already decided we will fulfil the games.
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we → decide → games
Like all of this camp we almost take it day by day.
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we → take → day
That is already decided that we are going to fulfil the games.'
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we → decide → games
When asked if players had informed him of another meeting to decide whether to play, Hallgrimsson said 'No, they haven't.'
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they → ask → meeting
A majority of players, described as 'significant' by the Football Association of Ireland, ultimately elected to fulfil their 'away' clash.
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majority → describe → clash
A 'Stop The Game' campaign – organised by the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine has called for fans to gather ahead of the match with Austria to voice opposition to Sunday's match with Israel.
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fans → stop → Israel
Ahead of the first match, Ireland captain Dara O'Shea did not shake hands with Israel's skipper Manor Solomon at the coin toss, and Ireland wore black armbands 'in recognition of all lives lost in the [Gaza] conflict'.
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Ireland → shake → conflict
The Ireland players also snubbed the Israeli national anthem by pointedly looking at the ground while it played.
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it → snub → ground
Ireland's substitutes and staff also looked at the floor during Israel's anthem, with the squad having voted to play the match
Hallgrimsson had previously said his team are 'playing against genocide' amid Israel's attacks on Palestine, where more than 70,000 people have been killed since the war in Gaza began, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
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war → look → ministry
The second match against Israel will take place behind closed doors in Serbia.
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match → take → Serbia
Bazunu was the only member of the squad to officially make himself unavailable for selection for the Israel matches, but the Bolton goalkeeper chose to remain with the team and be with them for the Austria match.
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goalkeeper → make → match
He will then be replaced in the squad by Josh Keeley for the second fixture with Israel.
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He → replace → Israel
Hallgrimsson criticised 'lies' that had been reported concerning Bazunu's withdrawal from the first fixture and insisted there is a 'strong bond' in his squad.
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that → criticise → squad
I've always had a good relationship with him and it's probably more tough for him than the other players, but they have really welcomed him,' said Hallgrimsson.
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Hallgrimsson → have → him
'There's been a lot of lies said around all of this, but we welcome him back and he's taken part, amazing.
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he → be → part
I think it shows his character, as well, to be with us, so I want to give him praise for that.
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it → think → that
I want to give the players praise for how welcome they have been with him.
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they → want → him
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad due to Israel's actions in Gaza
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Bazunu → withdraw → Gaza
Life goes on.
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Life → go → ?
He is a part of this group and I think that shows how strong the bond is between these players that even a thing like this is not breaking us.'
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thing → think → us
Bazunu came forward on Saturday morning to outline his stance, which he later confirmed in a statement on Instagram.
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he → come → Instagram
That triggered a lengthy team meeting that resulted in the vote to proceed with the first Israel clash.
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that → trigger → clash
The Bolton Wanderers star justified his decision by saying: 'I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle’.
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I → justify → character
'My decision is based purely upon my belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.
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killing → base → people
'It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition to the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region.
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stance → note → region
'There are few times when you get a chance in life to stand for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them.'
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this → be → them
Hallgrimsson also praised Finn Azaz, who has Israeli heritage and was an unused substitute in the first match between the teams.
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who → praise → teams
'He's been one of the persons I admire the most in how he conducted himself in all of this,' said Hallgrimsson.
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Hallgrimsson → admire → this
Hallgrimsson praised Finn Azaz, who has Israeli heritage, for his conduct within the Ireland camp
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who → praise → camp
It is about being a member of a team, so you need to listen to all opinions.
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you → need → opinions
…and 21 more, not listed.
The Aporia
