🔗 Share this article Stoppage-Time Strike from Rúben Neves Stuns Ireland Following Kelleher Denies Cristiano Ronaldo Penalty Rúben Neves was the hero for Portugal with a injury-time winning goal in their World Cup clash against the Republic of Ireland, following the Irish goalkeeper had kept out a penalty from the veteran forward. Game Overview Neves nodded in during added time to secure a slender victory, four years after Ronaldo had bagged a brace late on to overcome a stubborn Irish side. Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men appeared poised to depart the Portuguese capital with a hard-fought point, but ultimately suffered defeat, despite restoring a significant amount of honor with a battling display that erased some of the recollections of last month’s embarrassing defeat in Armenia. However, the loss leaves them facing elimination, with their first three Group F matches having yielded only a single draw. They need to beat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to keep alive any hope of claiming a qualifying place. Major Incidents The Liverpool keeper looked to have secured Ireland a draw when he superbly saved Ronaldo’s penalty with his trailing leg 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 headed Trincão’s cross past the Irish goalkeeper. Other Qualifying Results Group F Hungary boosted their hopes of advancing by securing their first win with a two-goal triumph over Armenia, climbing above their rivals into second place behind the group leaders in the standings. Daniel Lukacs provided Hungary the advantage in the first half and a teammate secured the victory in late stoppage time. Group K Serbia slipped to a narrow defeat at home to the Albanian squad, with the outcome meaning England can now secure their passage from their qualifying group by defeating Latvia on Tuesday. Rey Manaj scored the decisive strike for Albania with a well-taken shot in first-half stoppage time. Latvia difficulties in their group persisted as they were held to a 2-2 tie at home by the Andorran team. Ian Olivera scored for the visitors late on from time to claim them their initial draw of the qualifying campaign and prolong Latvia’s winless run to several matches. Group E The Spanish national team continued their impressive qualifying group campaign with a comfortable win over the Georgian side after strikes from Jéremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal in Elche. The result extended the title holders’ flawless run in the qualifiers, having notched 11 goals in three matches without conceding. In spite of the absence of key figures such as Lamine Yamal, another forward, and Rodri due to fitness issues, Luis de la Fuente’s side showcased their dominance against a Georgia team that spent the majority of the game sitting back. The home side dominated the match with over eighty percent possession, and Georgia did not have a single attempt on target or generate a scoring opportunity, with only shot-stopper their keeper preventing a heavy defeat. Pino opened the scoring in the first half from a well-executed set-piece routine, and his compatriot secured the victory in the second period with a spectacular free kick after Mamardashvili had saved Ferran Torres’s spot-kick. Additional Scores The Turkish national team returned to winning ways with a comprehensive thrashing over Bulgaria to keep the pressure on Spain in Group E. The Spanish club’s Arda Güler was among the goal-getters. The Italian squad boosted their hopes of at least reaching the knockout stage with a 3-1 win away to Estonia, thanks to goals from a forward, another attacker, and a third scorer. The Italian coach commented: “We’re not thinking about the group leaders or our next opponents. We are aware of our responsibilities.” Italy missed out for the previous two World Cups, twice missing out in the qualifying rounds, and the dreaded playoff path now looks their most likely opportunity after the Norwegian team’s 5-0 hammering over the Israeli side in Group I. Norway are top on eighteen points from six matches. The Italians have 12 points with a match less played on their competitors and are a trio of points clear of Israel. Estonia stay fourth on three points. The top teams advance automatically for the tournament, with the runners-up entering the playoffs. The Italian national team face their rivals on Tuesday, where a win would secure second spot and, while they can still theoretically catch Norway on the table, the leaders’ much better goal ratio means a qualifying place likely beckons for the Italian squad.