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The Portuguese midfielder saved the day for Portugal with a dramatic winning goal in their World Cup qualifying match against Ireland, after Caoimhín Kelleher had kept out a spot-kick from the veteran forward.

Match Summary

The Wolves midfielder found the net during added time to claim a 1-0 victory, several seasons after the star striker had bagged a brace at the death to overcome a stubborn Irish side.

The Irish squad looked set to leave Lisbon with a hard-fought draw, but ultimately left empty-handed, despite regaining a significant amount of honor with a battling performance that overshadowed some of the memories of last month’s disappointing loss in Armenia.

However, the defeat leaves them in a difficult position, with their initial trio of qualifying group games having yielded only a solitary point. They need to beat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to keep alive any hope of claiming a playoff spot.

Key Incidents

• Kelleher seemed to have secured Ireland a point when he brilliantly kept out Ronaldo’s spot-kick with his outstretched foot after Francisco Trincão’s effort had struck Dara O’Shea’s arm.
• Neves saved Portugal in the opening moments of added time when he headed a delivery from the wing past Kelleher.

Other Group Outcomes

Portugal’s Group

The Hungarian team boosted their hopes of qualifying by picking up their first win with a 2-0 triumph over Armenia, moving above their rivals into second place behind the group leaders in the standings. Daniel Lukacs gave his team the advantage in the opening period and a teammate secured the victory in late added time.

England’s Group

The Serbian national team slipped to a 1-0 defeat at home to the Albanian squad, with the outcome meaning the Three Lions can now seal their passage from their qualifying group by defeating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker netted the decisive strike for his team with a neat shot in late stoppage time.

The Latvian side struggles in their group continued as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by the Andorran team. An Andorran player found the net for the visitors 12 minutes from time to earn them their first point of the qualifiers and prolong Latvia’s poor form to five games.

Spain’s Group

The Spanish national team continued their dominant Group E campaign with a comfortable win over the Georgian side after strikes from Jéremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal in Elche. The win continued the title holders’ perfect run in qualifying, having scored 11 goals in three games without conceding.

Despite the absence of players such as a talented winger, another forward, and Rodri due to injuries, Luis de la Fuente’s side demonstrated their superiority against a Georgia team that spent the majority of the game sitting back. Spain dominated the match with over eighty percent possession, and the visitors did not have a single attempt on target or create a clear chance, with only goalkeeper their keeper averting a rout.

The scorer opened the scoring in the first half from a expertly taken dead-ball routine, and his compatriot wrapped up the win in the second period with a stunning free kick after the Georgian keeper had denied Ferran Torres’s spot-kick.

Other Scores

• The Turkish national team bounced back with a comprehensive victory over the Bulgarian side to keep the pressure on the group leaders in their section. Real Madrid’s a young talent was among the scorers.
• The Italian squad boosted their hopes of at least making the knockout stage with a comfortable victory away to Estonia, thanks to goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui, and a third scorer.

The Italian coach said: “Our focus isn’t on the group leaders or Israel. We know our responsibilities.”

The Azzurri missed out for the last two global tournaments, twice missing out in the playoffs, and the dreaded playoff path now appears their most likely chance after the Norwegian team’s comprehensive hammering over Israel in their qualifying group. The Norwegians are leading on 18 points from six games. The Italians have twelve points with a game in hand on their rivals and are a trio of points clear of Israel. The Estonian squad remain fourth on three points. The top teams qualify directly for the World Cup, with the runners-up going into the qualifying stage.

The Italian national team face their rivals on Tuesday, where a win would secure second spot and, while they can still mathematically catch the group leaders on the table, the leaders’ far superior goal difference means a qualifying place probably beckons for Gennaro Gattuso’s side.