Overview
- Israel’s 20-year-old forward Sayed Abu Farchi headed an equaliser and then ran to a corner flag and used the pole in a gesture widely seen as mimicking a rifle, prompting the referee to act.
- Referee Georgi Kabakov showed Abu Farchi a second yellow card for the celebration, which became a red because he had been booked earlier in the half, reducing Israel to ten men.
- Austria converted the numerical advantage with goals in the 90th minute and stoppage time to win 3-1, a match-turning sequence that followed the dismissal on Thursday.
- Abu Farchi, who moved from Maccabi Tel Aviv to MLS side Colorado Rapids this month and scored his first Israel goal, is reported to be suspended for the next Nations League fixture and UEFA is expected to review the celebration separately.
- Public reaction is split between viewers who say the act resembled a weapon and those who argue it looked like a non-violent celebration, and the incident has intensified debate over Israel’s fixtures that will be played at neutral venues because of political pressure.