🔗 Share this article

Rúben Neves came to the rescue for Portugal with a dramatic decisive strike in their World Cup match against Ireland, following the Irish goalkeeper had saved a spot-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Game Summary

The Wolves midfielder nodded in during added time to secure a narrow victory, four years after Ronaldo had bagged a brace at the death to overcome a resilient Irish side.

The Irish squad looked set to leave Lisbon with a hard-fought point, but ultimately left empty-handed, despite restoring a good deal of honor with a battling performance that erased some of the memories of last month’s disappointing loss in Armenia.

Nevertheless, the defeat leaves them staring down the barrel, with their initial trio of qualifying group games having produced only a single draw. They need to defeat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to keep alive any hope of securing a playoff spot.

Major Moments

• Kelleher seemed to have secured Ireland a point when he brilliantly kept out Ronaldo’s penalty with his outstretched foot after a Portuguese player’s shot had struck an Irish defender’s hand.
• The match-winner saved Portugal in the opening moments of stoppage time when he directed Trincão’s cross past the Irish goalkeeper.

Other Qualifying Outcomes

Group F

The Hungarian team boosted their chances of advancing by picking up their initial victory with a two-goal triumph over Armenia, climbing above their rivals into second place behind the group leaders in Group F. A Hungarian forward provided Hungary the lead in the first half and Zsombor Gruber secured the victory in second-half stoppage time.

Group K

Serbia slipped to a 1-0 loss at home to Albania, with the result meaning England can now secure their passage from Group K by beating Latvia on Tuesday. Rey Manaj netted the decisive strike for Albania with a well-taken volley in first-half added time.

The Latvian side difficulties in Group K continued as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by the Andorran team. Ian Olivera scored for the visitors 12 minutes from time to earn them their initial draw of the qualifying campaign and extend Latvia’s winless run to five games.

Group E

The Spanish national team maintained their impressive Group E campaign with a comfortable win over Georgia after goals from Jéremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal in the match venue. The win continued the European champions’ flawless run in qualifying, having notched eleven strikes in three matches without conceding.

Despite the absence of players such as Lamine Yamal, another forward, and the midfield anchor due to injuries, Luis de la Fuente’s side showcased their superiority against a Georgia team that spent the majority of the game defending deep. The home side controlled the encounter with more than 80% possession, and Georgia did not have a single attempt on target or generate a clear chance, with only goalkeeper their keeper preventing a heavy defeat.

The scorer broke the deadlock in the 24th minute from a expertly taken dead-ball routine, and his compatriot wrapped up the win in the second period with a stunning free kick after Mamardashvili had denied a Spanish player’s penalty.

Additional Results

• Turkey bounced back with a comprehensive victory over the Bulgarian side to stay close to the group leaders in their section. The Spanish club’s a young talent was among the scorers.
• Italy improved their hopes of at least reaching the qualifying playoffs with a 3-1 win away to Estonia, thanks to goals from a forward, another attacker, and a third scorer.

Gennaro Gattuso said: “Our focus isn’t on Norway or Israel. We know what we have to do.”

Italy missed out for the last two World Cups, twice falling short in the qualifying rounds, and the feared backdoor route now appears their most likely chance after the Norwegian team’s comprehensive hammering over the Israeli side in their qualifying group. The Norwegians are top on 18 points from six matches. The Italians have 12 points with a match less played on their competitors and are a trio of points clear of Israel. The Estonian squad remain fourth on three points. The top teams qualify directly for the tournament, with the runners-up entering the playoffs.

The Italian national team face Israel on Tuesday, where a win would cement second spot and, while they can still mathematically overtake the group leaders on points, the leaders’ much better goal ratio means a playoff spot probably beckons for the Italian squad.