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Rúben Neves came to the rescue for Portugal with a last-gasp winner in their World Cup qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland, after Caoimhín Kelleher had denied a spot-kick from the veteran forward.

Game Overview

The Wolves midfielder found the net during stoppage time to claim a narrow win, several seasons after Ronaldo had bagged a brace late on to defeat a stubborn Irish side.

The Irish squad appeared poised to depart the Portuguese capital with a well-earned point, but ultimately suffered defeat, despite restoring a good deal of pride with a battling performance that erased some of the memories of last month’s disappointing defeat in Armenia.

However, the loss leaves them in a difficult position, with their initial trio of qualifying group games having yielded only a single draw. They need to beat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to maintain any hope of claiming a playoff place.

Major Incidents

• The Liverpool keeper looked to have secured Ireland a draw when he superbly saved Ronaldo’s spot-kick with his trailing leg after a Portuguese player’s shot had hit an Irish defender’s hand.
• Neves saved Portugal in the first minute of added time when he headed a delivery from the wing past Kelleher.

Additional Qualifying Results

Group F

Hungary boosted their hopes of advancing by securing their first win with a two-goal victory over the Armenian side, moving above their opponents into the runner-up spot behind the group leaders in the standings. A Hungarian forward gave his team the advantage in the first half and a teammate made sure of the victory in late added time.

England’s Group

The Serbian national team suffered a narrow loss at home to Albania, with the result meaning the Three Lions can now seal their qualification from their qualifying group by defeating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker scored the only goal for Albania with a well-taken volley in first-half added time.

Latvia difficulties in Group K persisted as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by the Andorran team. An Andorran player scored for the away side 12 minutes from time to earn them their first point of the qualifiers and prolong Latvia’s poor form to several matches.

Spain’s Group

Spain continued their dominant Group E campaign with a 2-0 win over the Georgian side after goals from a Spanish attacker and Mikel Oyarzabal in Elche. The win extended the title holders’ flawless record in qualifying, having scored 11 goals in three games without letting in a goal.

In spite of the unavailability of key figures such as a talented winger, another forward, and the midfield anchor due to injuries, the Spanish squad showcased their dominance against a Georgia team that spent the majority of the game defending deep. Spain controlled the encounter with over eighty percent of the ball, and the visitors did not have a single attempt on target or create a clear chance, with only shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili preventing a rout.

Pino broke the deadlock in the first half from a expertly taken dead-ball move, and his compatriot secured the win in the 64th minute with a stunning free kick after Mamardashvili had saved Ferran Torres’s spot-kick.

Additional Scores

• Turkey returned to winning ways with a comprehensive thrashing over the Bulgarian side to keep the pressure on the group leaders in their section. Real Madrid’s Arda Güler was one of the goal-getters.
• Italy boosted their prospects of at least reaching the qualifying playoffs with a 3-1 victory away to Estonia, thanks to strikes from Moise Kean, another attacker, and a third scorer.

Gennaro Gattuso said: “Our focus isn’t on Norway or our next opponents. We know our responsibilities.”

The Azzurri missed out for the last two global tournaments, twice missing out in the playoffs, and the dreaded backdoor route now looks their primary opportunity after the Norwegian team’s comprehensive win over Israel in their qualifying group. The Norwegians are top on eighteen points from six matches. Italy have 12 points with a game in hand on their rivals and are three points ahead of their next opponents. The Estonian squad remain in fourth place on three points. The group winners qualify directly for the tournament, with the runners-up going into the qualifying stage.

The Italian national team host their rivals on Tuesday, where a victory would cement second spot and, while they can still theoretically catch the group leaders on points, the leaders’ far superior goal difference means a playoff spot probably beckons for Gennaro Gattuso’s side.