Israel and Poland’s Under-21 players held their own unauthorised minute’s silence immediately after kick-off on Friday for the victims of the 7 October Hamas attacks.
The gesture in Lodz came after football governing body Uefa did not approve a moment of remembrance for the game for those affected in last month’s attacks.
Both sets of players stood in silence after the referee blew his whistle to start the game and no action took place for the opening minute. The players remained in their formational positions rather than congregating in a line for traditional pre-match tributes and there was silence around Stadium LKS.
UEFA refused to hold a minute of silence before the match between #Israel and #Poland (Under-21 team).
— AJC Central Europe (@AJC_CE) November 17, 2023
In response, both teams decided not to play the first minute of the match, observing a minute of silence to honor the victims of #October7th. 🙏🏼pic.twitter.com/U69kd6Qagt
Poland won the game 2-1, a result that leaves Israel bottom of Group D in their bid to qualify for the European Under-21 Championship in 2025. However, Israel have played only two games with the five sides above them having played more.
The senior Israel team are scheduled to play on Saturday eveningtonight against Romania, which will be played in Hungary due to the country’s conflict with Hamas, in a qualifier for next summer’s European Championship in Germany.
On Thursday, Uefa announced Israeli clubs Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv will play their next European home fixtures in Serbia behind closed doors due to the war.
Haifa will face Rennes at Belgrade’s in Europa League Group F on 30 November, while Tel Aviv’s Conference League Group B home games against Zorya Luhansk and Gent on 25 November and 14 December will take place at TSC Arena in Backa Topola.
Both Israeli clubs resumed their European campaigns last week after a month’s postponement due to the conflict.
