Israel footballer Sayed Abu Farchi was sent off for his goal-scoring celebration when he used the corner flag â to simulate a gun after equalizing against Austria in their UEFA Nations League late on Thursday.
The forwardâÂÂs goal levelled the match 1-1 early in the second half at Raiffeisen Arena in Linz, Austria, his 55th minute header cancelling out Romano SchmidâÂÂs first-half penalty.
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The 20-year-old then jogged to the corner, pulled out the corner flag, dropped his right knee to the grass and rested the pole on the back of his left hand before making a firing gesture.
It wasnâÂÂt immediately clear if Farchi, who plays his club football in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, was about to simulate a pool cue shot or a weapon, but the action that followed left no one in doubt.
The referee promptly showed the Colorado Rapids forward a second yellow card, just four minutes after his first, leading to a red card.
Under the International Football Association Board Law 12, players can celebrate a goal as they wish, but their celebration âÂÂmust not be excessiveâ and a player âÂÂmust be cautioned for acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory wayâÂÂ.
Austria regained â the lead in the 90th minute through Phillipp Mwene, who netted following a cross from âÂÂPaul Wanner. Sasa Kalajdzic added a third goal in stoppage time with a âÂÂclose-range âÂÂfinish to seal a 3-1 win.
IsraelâÂÂs participation in the Nations League has prompted fierce backlash from several other competing countries, including the Republic of Ireland, whose football association said its request to avoid future pairings with Israel had been â â rejected by UEFA.
A banner with the words âÂÂFree Palestineâ was also displayed by Austrian fans close to the pitch during ThursdayâÂÂs match.
Ireland face Israel on Sunday in a match to be hosted at a neutral venue â Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary â before hosting the return fixture on October 4.
Al Jazeera has contacted UEFA and Colorado Rapids for a response to FarchiâÂÂs celebratory simulation.