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The Portuguese midfielder came to the rescue for Portugal with a last-gasp winning goal in their World Cup clash against the Republic of Ireland, after the Irish goalkeeper had saved a penalty from the veteran forward.

Match Summary

Neves nodded in during added time to claim a slender victory, four years after Ronaldo had scored twice late on to defeat a resilient Irish side.

The Irish squad appeared poised to leave Lisbon with a well-earned draw, but ultimately suffered defeat, despite restoring a good deal of honor with a battling performance that erased some of the recollections of last month’s disappointing defeat in Armenia.

Nevertheless, the defeat leaves them in a difficult position, with their initial trio of Group F games having produced only a solitary draw. They must defeat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to maintain any hope of claiming a playoff spot.

Major Incidents

• The Liverpool keeper seemed to have earned Ireland a draw when he superbly kept out Ronaldo’s penalty with his trailing leg after Francisco Trincão’s effort had struck Dara O’Shea’s arm.
• Neves saved Portugal in the first minute of added time when he headed a delivery from the wing past Kelleher.

Other Group Outcomes

Group F

Hungary enhanced their chances of advancing by securing their initial victory with a 2-0 triumph over the Armenian side, moving above their rivals into the runner-up spot behind Portugal in the standings. Daniel Lukacs provided his team the lead in the first half and a teammate secured the victory in second-half added time.

Group K

Serbia suffered a narrow defeat at home to Albania, with the result meaning the Three Lions can now seal their passage from Group K by defeating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker scored the only goal for his team with a neat volley in late stoppage time.

Latvia struggles in their group persisted as they were forced to a two-all 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 qualifying campaign and prolong Latvia’s winless run to several matches.

Spain’s Group

The Spanish national team maintained their dominant Group E campaign with a comfortable victory over Georgia after goals from Jéremy Pino and his teammate in Elche. The result continued the title holders’ perfect run in the qualifiers, having notched eleven strikes in three games without conceding.

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 superiority against a Georgia team that passed the majority of the game defending deep. The home side dominated the match with over eighty percent of the ball, and Georgia did not have a single attempt on target or create a clear chance, with only goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili preventing a heavy defeat.

The scorer opened the scoring in the first half from a well-executed set-piece routine, and his compatriot secured the victory in the 64th minute with a stunning set-piece after the Georgian keeper had denied a Spanish player’s spot-kick.

Additional Scores

• Turkey bounced back with a 6-1 victory over the Bulgarian side to stay close to Spain in Group E. The Spanish club’s a young talent was one of the scorers.
• The Italian squad boosted their hopes of at least making the qualifying playoffs with a comfortable win away to the Estonian team, thanks to goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui, and Francesco Pio Esposito.

Gennaro Gattuso said: “Our focus isn’t on Norway or Israel. We are aware of our responsibilities.”

Italy missed out for the last two World Cups, on two occasions missing out in the qualifying rounds, and the dreaded backdoor route now appears their primary chance after the Norwegian team’s 5-0 win over the Israeli side in Group I. The Norwegians are top on eighteen points from six games. Italy have twelve points with a match less played on their competitors and are a trio of points clear of their next opponents. The Estonian squad remain in fourth place on three points. The group winners advance automatically for the World Cup, with the runners-up entering the qualifying stage.

The Italian national team face Israel on Tuesday, where a victory would cement second spot and, while they can still theoretically catch Norway on the table, the Norwegians’ far superior goal difference means a playoff spot likely beckons for the Italian squad.