Israel Falls to Austria in Nations League Opener After Red Card

Israel began their Nations League campaign with a disappointing 3-1 loss to Austria. The Israeli team managed to equalize against Austria, but Said Abu Farhi received a second yellow card for celebrating the goal, leading to his expulsion. Austria capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Philipp Mwene and Saša Kalajdžić scoring in added time to secure the victory.

Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz expressed his disappointment but also pride in his team's performance, especially after playing with ten men for 40 minutes. "It hurts, I am so proud of this team that played here for 40 minutes with ten players. Everyone gave an amazing performance," Peretz told Sport 5. He acknowledged that the loss stemmed from a momentary lapse in concentration, stating, "It hurts because it's about a lack of concentration for a second but that's the level." Peretz also noted that Austria did not pose a significant threat before the red card, suggesting, "Maybe we are the ones who caused them not to look good."

Regarding Abu Farhi's red card, Peretz stated that the player is his own harshest critic and will learn from the experience. He acknowledged Austria as a strong team that had a good World Cup. "There was no dangerous game, but maybe we are the ones who caused them not to be good. We were there until the last minutes and we simply have to learn," Peretz concluded.