Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson expressed concerns over alleged intimidation tactics employed by Israel during a heated Uefa Nations League match that ended in a 1-1 draw on Sunday behind closed doors in Serbia.

The match saw a clash at half-time, following allegations from Damien Doyle, the Republic of Ireland's head of athletic performance, who claimed he was spat at by an Israeli player. Television footage captured a voice stating, "he spat on me!" as players exited the field.

Hallgrimsson commented on the incident, stating:

"I felt like they were trying to intimidate us from kick-off... I give a lot of credit to the players to stay calm."

Despite the tensions, he praised his players for maintaining their composure, avoiding a game filled with cards.

In response, Ran Ben-Shimon, the head coach of Israel, claimed he did not witness any spitting incident, stating:

"When I get the chance to check I will get back to you. I didn't see anything."

The backdrop to this match included rising tensions, as an earlier pre-match news conference ended abruptly when Hallgrimsson faced a "verbal attack" from Israeli reporters regarding alleged racism by Irish players during a previous match in Hungary, which Ireland won 3-0. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) communications manager intervened, labeling the allegations as "completely untrue."

Additionally, the FAI is investigating claims that Adam Idah, a forward for the Republic of Ireland, was racially abused by Israeli fans during the previous encounter. Reports indicate that midfielder Jayson Molumby raised concerns with match officials about what he perceived as abusive chanting from a small group of Israeli supporters present.