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Rúben Neves was the hero for Portugal with a last-gasp winning goal in their World Cup qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland, following the Irish goalkeeper had saved a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Game Overview

The Wolves midfielder found the net during added time to secure a 1-0 victory, several seasons after Ronaldo had scored twice at the death to defeat a stubborn Irish side.

The Irish squad looked set to depart the Portuguese capital with a well-earned point, but in the end left empty-handed, despite restoring a good deal of honor with a battling performance that overshadowed some of the recollections of last month’s disappointing loss in Armenia.

Nevertheless, the defeat leaves them staring down the barrel, with their first three qualifying group games having yielded only a single draw. They must defeat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to keep alive any chance of claiming a qualifying spot.

Major Moments

• Kelleher looked to have earned Ireland a point when he brilliantly kept out Ronaldo’s penalty with his outstretched foot after a Portuguese player’s shot had struck Dara O’Shea’s arm.
• Neves saved Portugal in the first minute of added time when he headed Trincão’s cross past Kelleher.

Additional Qualifying Outcomes

Group F

Hungary boosted their hopes of advancing by securing their first win with a two-goal triumph over Armenia, moving above their rivals into the runner-up spot behind Portugal in the standings. A Hungarian forward provided his team the advantage in the first half and Zsombor Gruber made sure of the victory in second-half added time.

Group K

The Serbian national team suffered a narrow loss at home to Albania, with the result meaning the Three Lions can now secure their qualification from their qualifying group by beating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker netted the only goal for his team with a neat shot in first-half added time.

The Latvian side struggles in their group continued as they were held to a two-all tie at home by Andorra. An Andorran player scored for the visitors 12 minutes from time to claim them their initial draw of the qualifying campaign and prolong Latvia’s winless run to five games.

Group E

The Spanish national team maintained their dominant Group E campaign with a 2-0 win over Georgia after goals from a Spanish attacker and his teammate in the match venue. The win extended the title holders’ perfect run in qualifying, having notched 11 goals in three games without letting in a goal.

In spite of the absence of players such as Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and the midfield anchor due to injuries, Luis de la Fuente’s side showcased their superiority against a Georgia team that spent most of the match sitting back. Spain dominated the encounter with over eighty percent possession, and Georgia did not have one shot on target or generate a scoring opportunity, with only goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili averting a heavy defeat.

The scorer opened the scoring in the first half from a expertly taken dead-ball move, and his compatriot secured the win in the 64th minute with a spectacular free kick after the Georgian keeper had denied a Spanish player’s spot-kick.

Other Scores

• The Turkish national team bounced back with a 6-1 thrashing over the Bulgarian side to keep the pressure on Spain in Group E. The Spanish club’s Arda Güler was one of the goal-getters.
• Italy boosted their hopes of at least making the knockout stage with a 3-1 victory away to the Estonian team, thanks to strikes from a forward, another attacker, and a third scorer.

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

Italy failed to qualify for the previous two World Cups, on two occasions missing out in the playoffs, and the feared playoff path now looks their primary chance after Norway’s comprehensive hammering over Israel in Group I. The Norwegians are leading on eighteen points from six matches. The Italians have twelve points with a match less played on their rivals and are a trio of points clear of their next opponents. Estonia remain fourth on three points. The top teams advance automatically for the World Cup, with the second-placed sides entering the playoffs.

The Italian national team host Israel on Tuesday, where a win would cement the runner-up position and, while they can still theoretically overtake the group leaders on the table, the Norwegians’ much better goal ratio means a qualifying place likely awaits for the Italian squad.