Troy Parrott produced a brace on Thursday evening, yet Ireland still had to settle for a share of the spoils against Austria in a Nations League fixture that was halted on two occasions by demonstrators.
Outside the Aviva Stadium, supporters of the Palestinian cause had gathered before kickoff, objecting to Ireland’s fixtures against Israel. Their message reached the pitch around the nineteenth minute, when tennis balls bearing a Palestinian flag and the slogan “Stop the Game” landed on the turf. Referee Allard Lindhout waited while stewards gathered them. Sixteen minutes later, a fan waving a flag ran on, but security brought him down swiftly.
Parrott had already made his mark by the twelfth minute. Collecting possession near the halfway circle, he nutmegged Philipp Lienhart, left David Affengruber behind, and calmly finished beneath Florian Wiegele. Following the second stoppage, he added another from twelve yards after Nicolas Seiwald brought down Ryan Manning. Finn Azaz, back in a deeper role, helped create that chance with his pass.
Having beaten Israel 3-0 in Hungary on Sunday, the hosts appeared set for successive victories. This was also their first competitive home match since defeating Portugal 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier eleven months earlier, when Parrott scored twice as well.
Austria, missing David Alaba, Marcel Sabitzer and Christoph Baumgartner, had other plans. Ralf Rangnick sent on Michael Gregoritsch, Konrad Laimer and Maximilian Wober at the interval, and the visitors grew in authority. Alexander Prass pulled one back after Liam Kitching erred, with the goal standing following a VAR review despite an offside flag. Six minutes later, Gregoritsch bent a free-kick beyond a stranded Caoimhin Kelleher.
Late chances came at both ends. Captain Dara O’Shea tested Wiegele, while Gregoritsch and Prass each sent efforts over the bar.
The result keeps Austria top of Group B3, while Ireland, who lost 1-0 in Kosovo to start the campaign, must reflect on a lead they could not protect.
