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Rúben Neves saved the day for the Portuguese side with a last-gasp winner in their World Cup encounter against Ireland, after Caoimhín Kelleher had saved a spot-kick from the veteran forward.

Game Overview

Neves headed home during added time to snatch a 1-0 victory, four years after Ronaldo had scored twice at the death to overcome a resilient Ireland team.

Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men looked set to leave Lisbon with a hard-fought point, but in the end suffered defeat, despite restoring a good deal of honor with a battling display that overshadowed some of the recollections of last month’s embarrassing loss in Armenia.

Nevertheless, the loss leaves them staring down the barrel, with their first three qualifying group games having produced only a solitary draw. They need to beat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to keep alive any hope of securing a playoff spot.

Key Moments

• Kelleher looked to have earned Ireland a draw when he brilliantly saved Ronaldo’s penalty with his trailing leg after a Portuguese player’s effort had struck an Irish defender’s arm.
• The match-winner saved Portugal in the opening moments of added time when he directed a delivery from the wing past Kelleher.

Other Group Outcomes

Group F

The Hungarian team enhanced their chances of qualifying by picking up their first win with a two-goal victory over the Armenian side, moving above their opponents into second place behind Portugal in the standings. A Hungarian forward provided his team the lead in the opening period and a teammate secured the victory in second-half stoppage time.

Group K

Serbia suffered a 1-0 loss at home to the Albanian squad, with the result meaning England can now seal their qualification from Group K by defeating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker netted the only goal for his team with a well-taken volley in late added time.

Latvia struggles in their group persisted as they were forced to a two-all draw at home by the Andorran team. Ian Olivera found the net for the away side 12 minutes from time to earn them their first point of the qualifiers and prolong Latvia’s winless run to five games.

Group E

Spain maintained their dominant Group E run with a comfortable win over Georgia after goals from a Spanish attacker and Mikel Oyarzabal in the match venue. The result continued the title holders’ flawless run in qualifying, having scored 11 goals in three matches without letting in a goal.

Despite the absence of players such as a talented winger, Nico Williams, and Rodri due to fitness issues, Luis de la Fuente’s side showcased their dominance against a Georgian team that passed the majority of the game sitting back. The home side controlled the encounter with over eighty percent possession, and Georgia did not have one shot on target or create a clear chance, with only goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili averting a rout.

The scorer broke the deadlock in the first half from a well-executed set-piece move, and his compatriot secured the win in the second period with a spectacular set-piece after Mamardashvili had denied Ferran Torres’s penalty.

Other Scores

• Turkey returned to winning ways with a 6-1 thrashing over Bulgaria to stay close to the group leaders in Group E. Real Madrid’s Arda Güler was among the goal-getters.
• The Italian squad boosted their prospects of at least reaching the qualifying playoffs with a 3-1 win away to the Estonian team, thanks to goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui, and Francesco Pio Esposito.

The Italian coach said: “We’re not thinking about the group leaders or Israel. We are aware of our responsibilities.”

Italy failed to qualify for the previous two World Cups, twice falling short in the qualifying rounds, and the dreaded backdoor route now appears their primary chance after Norway’s comprehensive hammering over the Israeli side in Group I. The Norwegians are top on eighteen points from six games. The Italians have 12 points with a game in hand on their competitors and are three points clear of their next opponents. Estonia remain in fourth place on three points. The top teams qualify directly for the tournament, with the runners-up going into the qualifying stage.

The Italian national team host Israel on Tuesday, where a victory would secure the runner-up position and, while they can still theoretically overtake the group leaders on points, the Norwegians’ far superior goal difference means a qualifying place likely beckons for Gennaro Gattuso’s side.