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Rúben Neves came to the rescue for Portugal with a dramatic decisive strike in their World Cup qualifying encounter against the Republic of Ireland, following Caoimhín Kelleher had kept out a spot-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Match Summary

The Wolves midfielder headed home during stoppage time to secure a narrow triumph, four years after the star striker had bagged a brace late on to defeat a resilient Ireland team.

The Irish squad appeared poised to depart the Portuguese capital with a well-earned point, but ultimately suffered defeat, despite regaining a significant amount of pride with a battling display that overshadowed some of the memories of last month’s disappointing defeat in Armenia.

However, the loss leaves them staring down the barrel, with their first three Group F games having produced only a solitary draw. They need to defeat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to maintain any chance of securing a playoff place.

Key Moments

• Kelleher seemed to have secured Ireland a point when he brilliantly kept out Ronaldo’s penalty with his trailing leg after a Portuguese player’s shot had hit Dara O’Shea’s arm.
• The match-winner came to his side’s rescue in the opening moments of added time when he directed a delivery from the wing past Kelleher.

Other Qualifying Results

Group F

Hungary enhanced their chances of advancing by securing their initial victory with a 2-0 triumph over Armenia, moving above their rivals into the runner-up spot behind the group leaders in Group F. A Hungarian forward gave his team the lead in the first half and a teammate secured the points in late added time.

England’s Group

Serbia suffered a 1-0 loss at home to Albania, with the outcome meaning the Three Lions can now secure their passage from Group K by beating Latvia on Tuesday. Rey Manaj netted the decisive strike for his team with a neat shot in first-half added time.

The Latvian side struggles in Group K continued as they were forced to a two-all tie at home by Andorra. An Andorran player found the net for the away side 12 minutes from time to earn them their initial draw of the qualifiers and prolong Latvia’s poor form to several matches.

Spain’s Group

The Spanish national team maintained their impressive Group E run with a comfortable victory over the Georgian side after strikes from Jéremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal in the match venue. The win continued the title holders’ flawless record in the qualifiers, having notched 11 goals in three games without conceding.

In spite of the unavailability of players such as Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and the midfield anchor due to fitness issues, Luis de la Fuente’s side showcased their superiority against a Georgia team that passed most of the match sitting back. Spain controlled the match with over eighty percent of the ball, and Georgia did not have a single attempt on target or generate a scoring opportunity, with only shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili averting a rout.

The scorer opened the scoring in the 24th minute from a well-executed dead-ball move, and Oyarzabal wrapped up the victory in the second period with a spectacular free kick after Mamardashvili had saved a Spanish player’s penalty.

Additional Results

• The Turkish national team bounced back with a 6-1 victory over Bulgaria to stay close to the group leaders in Group E. Real Madrid’s Arda Güler was one of the scorers.
• Italy improved their prospects of at least reaching the knockout stage with a 3-1 win away to Estonia, thanks to goals from a forward, Mateo Retegui, and a third scorer.

The Italian coach commented: “We’re not thinking about Norway or our next opponents. We are aware of our responsibilities.”

The Azzurri failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, twice missing out in the playoffs, and the feared backdoor route now appears their primary chance after the Norwegian team’s 5-0 win over Israel in Group I. The Norwegians are top on 18 points from six matches. Italy have 12 points with a match less played on their rivals and are a trio of points clear of Israel. The Estonian squad remain in fourth place on three points. The top teams advance automatically for the World Cup, with the runners-up going into the playoffs.

The Italian national team face their rivals on Tuesday, where a win would cement the runner-up position and, while they can still mathematically catch Norway on points, the leaders’ much better goal ratio means a qualifying place likely awaits for the Italian squad.