Bačka Topola, a small Serbian town roughly one hour and 40 minutes north of Belgrade, is an unexpected setting for a high-stakes international football match — let alone the Republic of Ireland’s second meeting with Israel.
The route from the Serbian capital winds across a flat, open landscape, passing a succession of small villages before reaching the town of about 12,000 people.
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Bačka Topola is not widely associated with football. In Serbia, it is perhaps better known for a nearby stud farm and a scenic lake.
It does, however, boast the compact but impressive TSC Arena, which can accommodate 4,500 spectators.
That may help explain why the FAI selected this distant location for tonight’s fixture, which will be played behind closed doors.
When we arrived yesterday, much of the quiet main street appeared to have shut down, with many of its shops closed.
As with last week’s game against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, the familiar signs of an Ireland match abroad were conspicuously absent.
There were no green jerseys.
No “Olé, Olé, Olé” echoed between the buildings.
The only noticeable gathering of locals was inside the Gradska Kafana pub, where groups of men sat around tables, talking over pints of local ale.
“About this game, I hear nothing,” said barman Milan Guzina.
The Gradska Kafana pub on the main street of the town
Tomislav Savic, another local resident, said he had not learned about the match until that morning.
“It will be very good for our economy and our town,” said Mr Savic, who said he expected “guests” to come to Bačka Topola for the occasion.
Your reporter gently explained that the match would be played behind closed doors, meaning few, if any, supporters were likely to arrive.
Even so, he promised that visitors would find “good, kind people and lots of beer.”
Tomislav Savic said he only heard about that match that morning
As we filmed along the main street, Republic of Ireland and Real Betis striker Troy Parrott walked towards a café where his teammates had gathered.
Jake O’Brien’s height made him easy to pick out at the front of another group of players, with Caoimhín Kelleher, Liam Scales and Conor Coventry following soon afterwards.
The scene captured the unusual nature of this international assignment.
Still, not everyone in the town considered the fixture’s location surprising.
Another local man, who asked not to be named, said it was logical for FK TSC to host the game because the stadium is due to serve as one of the venues for next year’s UEFA under-21 European Championship, which Serbia and Albania will co-host.
Second international match to be played in Bačka Topola
Tonight’s game will be only the second international match staged in Bačka Topola.
Serbia hosted Saudi Arabia in a friendly at the stadium last February, recording a 2-1 victory.
Our walk through the town came several hours after the Irish press conference had ended abruptly after just 14 minutes.
An Israeli journalist alleged that Irish players had called their Israeli counterparts “monkeys” during last weekend’s match in Hungary.
FAI press officer Kieran Crowley described the accusation as “completely untrue” before bringing the conference to an end.
The same journalist later attempted to attend a separate Irish media briefing in another room at the stadium but was refused entry.
Heimir Hallgrimsson addressing the Irish press in Serbia
The confrontation reflected the strained atmosphere surrounding the two fixtures.
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson and Israel manager Ran Ben-Shimon both said in their respective press conferences that they wanted the players to concentrate on football.
Yet the political arguments surrounding these matches have proved impossible to keep apart from what has unfolded on the field.
It remains unclear whether any supporters will appear in Bačka Topola for tonight’s game.
Although designated as the Republic’s “home” fixture against Israel, it will be played without spectators.
For the Irish players, who faced Austria in front of more than 45,000 supporters at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Thursday, returning to an empty stadium will be a striking change.
Tonight, much of Bačka Topola is likely to carry on as normal, with many residents giving little thought to the fact that their town is hosting one of the most controversial fixtures in the history of Irish soccer.
