🔗 Share this article Stoppage-Time Strike from Rúben Neves Sinks Ireland Following Caoimhín Kelleher Stops Cristiano Ronaldo Penalty The Portuguese midfielder saved the day for the Portuguese side with a injury-time winning goal in their World Cup match against the Republic of Ireland, following the Irish goalkeeper had saved a penalty from the veteran forward. Match Overview The Wolves midfielder headed home during stoppage time to claim a slender win, four years after Ronaldo had scored twice at the death to defeat a resilient Irish side. The Irish squad looked set to leave Lisbon with a hard-fought point, but ultimately suffered defeat, despite regaining a significant amount of honor with a battling display that overshadowed some of the memories of last month’s embarrassing loss in Armenia. Nevertheless, the loss leaves them staring down the barrel, with their initial trio of Group F games having yielded only a solitary point. They need to beat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to keep alive any hope of securing a playoff spot. Major Incidents Kelleher looked to have earned Ireland a draw when he superbly saved Ronaldo’s penalty with his outstretched foot after a Portuguese player’s effort had hit Dara O’Shea’s arm. The match-winner saved Portugal in the first minute of added time when he directed a delivery from the wing past the Irish goalkeeper. Other Group Outcomes Portugal’s Group Hungary boosted their hopes of qualifying by securing their first win with a two-goal victory over the Armenian side, climbing above their opponents into second place behind Portugal in Group F. Daniel Lukacs gave his team the lead in the first half and Zsombor Gruber made sure of the points in late added time. England’s Group The Serbian national team suffered a narrow loss at home to Albania, with the outcome meaning England can now seal their qualification from their qualifying group by beating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker scored the decisive strike for his team with a neat volley in late added time. Latvia struggles in their group persisted as they were forced to a two-all tie 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 qualifying campaign and extend Latvia’s winless run to several matches. Group E The Spanish national team maintained their dominant qualifying group run with a 2-0 victory over the Georgian side after strikes from a Spanish attacker and his teammate in Elche. The result continued the title holders’ perfect record in the qualifiers, having notched eleven strikes in three games without letting in a goal. Despite the unavailability of key figures 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 defending deep. Spain controlled the encounter with more than 80% possession, and Georgia did not have a single attempt on target or create a scoring opportunity, with only goalkeeper their keeper preventing a heavy defeat. Pino broke the deadlock in the first half from a expertly taken set-piece move, and Oyarzabal secured the win in the second period with a stunning free kick after Mamardashvili had denied Ferran Torres’s spot-kick. Additional Scores Turkey bounced back with a comprehensive thrashing over the Bulgarian side to keep the pressure on Spain in Group E. Real Madrid’s Arda Güler was one of the scorers. The Italian squad improved their hopes of at least reaching the knockout stage with a comfortable win away to the Estonian team, thanks to goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui, and Francesco Pio Esposito. The Italian coach commented: “We’re not thinking about the group leaders or our next opponents. We are aware of what we have to do.” Italy failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, twice missing out in the qualifying rounds, and the dreaded backdoor route now appears their primary opportunity after Norway’s comprehensive win over Israel in Group I. The Norwegians are top on eighteen points from six matches. Italy have twelve points with a game in hand on their rivals and are a trio of points clear of their next opponents. The Estonian squad remain fourth on three points. The top teams advance automatically for the World Cup, with the second-placed sides 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 overtake the group leaders on points, the Norwegians’ far superior goal difference means a playoff spot likely awaits for Gennaro Gattuso’s side.