A goal that briefly pulled Israel level against Austria turned into an international controversy within seconds after forward Sayed Abu Farkhi was sent off for a celebration that media outlets interpreted as mimicking gunfire.
Abu Farkhi scored his first goal for Israel’s senior national team Thursday in a 3-1 loss to Austria in the opening match of Israel’s UEFA Nations League campaign. But the 55th-minute equalizer was quickly overshadowed by what followed.
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Sayed Abu Farkhi performs his signature snooker celebration after scoring against Austria
(Photo: GEORG HOCHMUTH / APA / AFP)
Immediately after scoring, Abu Farkhi ran toward the corner flag and performed a celebration associated with him that is intended to mimic playing snooker. This time, however, the gesture proved costly.
The referee showed Abu Farkhi a second yellow card, resulting in his dismissal. International media outlets interpreted the gesture differently, with several describing it as mimicking firing a gun, an interpretation that drew additional attention amid the war in Gaza and heightened scrutiny surrounding Israel.
The BBC and The Guardian both described the celebration as involving a rifle or mimicking gunfire, while Austrian media focused on what several outlets called an unusual red card. The incident quickly became one of the most discussed moments of the match.
(Photo: Screengrab)
Under soccer’s rules, players can be cautioned for goal celebrations deemed provocative, inflammatory or excessively disrespectful. The referee apparently concluded Abu Farkhi’s celebration warranted a yellow card, which became a red because he had already been booked.
The BBC reported that the Israeli player was “sent off for a goal celebration where he appeared to use the corner flag to mimic shooting a gun.”
The Guardian also prominently covered the incident, describing it as a “gun gesture celebration” after Abu Farkhi’s goal against Austria. The newspaper described the forward running toward the corner, taking hold of the flag and making a motion that appeared to simulate firing a weapon.
(Photo: Screengrab)
The incident also attracted attention in Irish media ahead of Israel’s match against Ireland on Sunday in Debrecen, Hungary, a fixture already expected to draw heightened attention.
In Austria, where Thursday’s match was played in Linz, the dismissal received extensive coverage. The newspaper Österreich highlighted what it described as the “strange red card” shown to the Israeli player over a gesture that appeared to mimic a firearm.
Heute emphasized the rapid sequence from goal to dismissal, while Krone devoted a separate report to the controversy surrounding Abu Farkhi’s celebration and subsequent second yellow card.
(Photo: Screengrab)
(Photo: Screengrab)
(Photo: Screengrab)
Krone also cited an Associated Press account that was more cautious about determining what Abu Farkhi intended the gesture to represent. The AP described the forward running to the corner, removing the corner flag, dropping to one knee and resting the pole on his arm before making what appeared to be a firing motion. The report noted that it was unclear whether Abu Farkhi intended to imitate shooting a weapon or something else.
Largely absent from the international coverage was Abu Farkhi’s background. The 20-year-old is an Arab Muslim from Baqa al-Gharbiyye, an Arab city in northern Israel, and represents Israel internationally.
It was also not the first time Abu Farkhi had been booked for the same celebration. Several months earlier, while playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv against Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the Israeli Super Cup, he performed the same gesture and was shown a yellow card by referee Aviv Klein.
Abu Farkhi performs the same signature snooker celebration while playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv
(Photo: Oz Moalem)
Israel coach Ran Ben Shimon acknowledged after Thursday’s match that Abu Farkhi had made a mistake but defended the young forward.
“That’s the rule. In Europe, it’s a yellow,” Ben Shimon said. “He got very excited. It happens. He’s a young kid and he’ll learn.”
Ben Shimon said he had criticized Abu Farkhi over the incident but stressed that the team would support him.
“I had a little criticism for him, but he’s young,” the coach said. “We’ll support him and lift him up. He’s an outstanding player who always gives 100%.”