Republic of Ireland v Israel LIVE: Latest score and updates after calls to boycott Nations League clash

‘13: Parrott is penalised for handball as the ball clips his arm on the way to a volley.

‘9: Dor Peretz goes down under a challenge from Scales but nothing is given. Ireland pass back to today’s captain Kelleher and the pace, which wasn’t exactly high, has entirely gone out of this one.

‘6: Idah lets fly! It’s an effort which tests keeper Tzur but he parries.

Now Parrott flashes wide on the turn, on the right-hand side of the box.

‘4: Although inevitable given the political ramifications of this game, it is very bizarre seeing a football match being played behind closed doors now; the atmosphere is very reminiscent of the Covid years.

Ireland have dominated possession so far but Knight concedes a free-kick for a challenge on Revivo.

The anthems pass without incident and the two captains – Peretz and Kelleher, in the absence of O’Shea – shake hands with the match officials but not with each other, as was the case last week.

There are no spectators and the atmosphere is tense. Ireland’s players bow their heads, as they did last week, for the Israeli national anthem.

The teams are about to come out of the tunnel. Just five minutes to go in Serbia…

Ireland XI: Kelleher; O’Brien, Dunne, Scales; Moylan, Knight, Molumby, Coventry, Manning; Idah, Parrott.

Israel XI: Tzur; Feingold, Nachmias, Stoinow, Revivo; Peretz, Do Peretz, Azoulay; Abada, Gloukh; Turgeman.

Israel boss Ran Ben-Shimon later insisted he is “not dealing with any politics” ahead of the behind-closed doors clash.

He said: “I didn’t let anything, any emotion about it, to penetrate our squad. I want my players to come to the game with the football knowledge and the solutions for what’s going on on the pitch.

“I’m not dealing with any politics now. Now, I want the team to be much better in the tactical matters, in the approach to the game. And this is my only focus. I’m not going to respond to anything that is not connected to football.”

Israel press officer Eitan Dotan, who previously reiterated that his organisation was “against any kind of racism”, added: “The only thing I want to say is that our players told us that the trash talk between the Irish players and them was not normal, not like any other match.

“We will think about that after the match tomorrow. Right now, we are thinking only about the match, and maybe in a few days we will do research about that, and then we will speak with all the ones we should speak with.”