Dara O’Shea, Sasa Lukic, Julio Enciso and loanees Chieo Ogbene and Henry Gray could all add to their full international caps later today.

O’Shea is set to skipper the Republic of Ireland in their controversial Nations League tie against Israel in Hungary (KO 7.45pm, Amazon Prime) and Ogbene in the XI after a chaotic Saturday in Debrecen.

The scheduled press conference and morning training session were abruptly postponed as a discussion was held between the players and FAI on whether they should play the game, Bolton keeper Gavin Bazunu having said he wouldn’t be involved with others believed to be considering joining him.

After protracted and reportedly at times angry talks, the players voted to play - 14-8 with Bazunu not voting - and a press conference with no players taking part and a training session took place mid-afternoon.

It was announced that the players would wear black armbands, according to FAI chief executive David Courell “in recognition of all lives lost in the [Gaza] conflict”.

The FAI initially deciding to play the game was hugely contentious in Ireland in any case and now the shambolic manner in which the matter was dealt with yesterday has led to further anger and criticism of the association, as well as the players, who it had been previously reported will donate their match fees from tonight’s match as well as next week’s return game behind closed doors in Serbia to a humanitarian charity.

O’Shea, who said prior to yesterday’s developments that the squad had been put in a “tough position” and felt “exposed”, is standing in as captain as Brentford’s Nathan Collins is injured.

The 27-year-old will be winning his 47th cap, while Ogbene, who is on loan at Lincoln City for the season, will pick up his 37th. Ireland lost their opening Nations League match 1--0 in Serbia on Thursday.


Lukic’s Serbia host the Netherlands in Belgrade (KO 5pm, Amazon Prime) in their second Nations League tie having lost 2-1 at home to Greece in their opening game on Thursday.

The Town midfielder, who came on as a half-time sub in that match, will win his 64th full cap if he is involved this evening.

Enciso’s Paraguay face Bolivia in a friendly in Washington DC with the forward set to win his 38th cap.

Blues keeper Gray, who is on loan at Wellington Phoenix, won his first senior New Zealand cap as a half-time sub in their 2-2 friendly draw with Palestine in Chongqing, China on Thursday. The All Whites face the Chinese today in another friendly in Chongqing (KO 12.35pm).

A sixth Town player, U21s defender Oliver Wilkinson, could win his first England U18s cap when the Young Lions face Egypt at the UEFA Friendship Cup in Switzerland this afternoon (KO 2pm).

Yesterday, Anis Mehmeti came on as a 74th-minute substitute as Albania beat Belarus 2-0 in their opening Nations League qualifier, the Blues forward winning his sixth cap.

Overnight, Marcelino Nunez played the first 52 minutes as Chile were beaten 1-0 by Canada in a friendly in Toronto, the South Americans having been reduced to nine men by the 50th minute. The midfielder was winning his 34th cap.

Photo: Reuters