Israel midfielder Sayed Abu Farhi was sent off after appearing to make a gun gesture while celebrating his goal in Thursday’s 3-1 Nations League defeat by Austria.
The 20-year-old Colorado Rapids player scored Israel’s equaliser in Linz before using the corner flag to mimic shooting a gun.
Referee showed Abu Farhi a second yellow card over the celebration, leaving Israel with 10 players, BBC reported.
Football’s Laws of the Game permit referees to caution players for goal celebrations considered provocative, derisory or inflammatory.
Austria had taken the lead through Romano Schmid before Abu Farhi levelled for Israel.
Phillipp Mwene restored Austria’s lead late in the match before Sasa Kalajdzic scored the third goal to complete the victory.
The dismissal came amid wider controversy over Israel’s participation in international football during the ongoing war in Gaza.
Campaigners in the Republic of Ireland have called for a boycott of the country’s upcoming matches against Israel, with the two fixtures scheduled to take place at neutral venues.
The Gaza war followed the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage, according to Israeli figures cited by international organisations.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry has reported more than 73,000 deaths from Israeli attacks, figures the United Nations has said are broadly reliable.
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