🔗 Share this article Late Goal from Neves Shocks Ireland Following Caoimhín Kelleher Denies Ronaldo Penalty Rúben Neves was the hero for Portugal with a last-gasp winner in their World Cup qualifying encounter against the Republic of Ireland, following Caoimhín Kelleher had kept out a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo. Match Overview The Wolves midfielder found the net during injury time to snatch a 1-0 win, several seasons after Ronaldo had scored twice at the death to overcome a stubborn Ireland team. Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men appeared poised to depart the Portuguese capital with a well-earned point, but in the end left empty-handed, despite regaining a significant amount of honor with a battling performance that erased some of the memories of last month’s embarrassing loss in Armenia. Nevertheless, the defeat puts them staring down the barrel, with their initial trio of Group F games having produced only a single point. They must beat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to maintain any hope of claiming a playoff spot. Major Moments Kelleher seemed to have secured Ireland a point when he brilliantly saved Ronaldo’s spot-kick with his outstretched foot after a Portuguese player’s shot had hit Dara O’Shea’s arm. The match-winner came to his side’s rescue in the opening moments of added time when he headed Trincão’s cross past the Irish goalkeeper. Other Group Outcomes Portugal’s Group Hungary boosted their chances of advancing by securing their initial victory with a two-goal triumph over the Armenian side, moving above their opponents into second place behind the group leaders in the standings. Daniel Lukacs gave his team the advantage in the first half and a teammate made sure of the victory in second-half added time. Group K The Serbian national team suffered a 1-0 loss at home to the Albanian squad, with the result meaning England can now secure their passage from Group K by defeating Latvia on Tuesday. Rey Manaj scored the only goal for his team with a neat volley in first-half stoppage time. The Latvian side struggles in their group persisted as they were forced to a 2-2 tie at home by the Andorran team. An Andorran player found the net for the visitors late on from time to claim them their initial draw of the qualifiers and extend Latvia’s winless run to five games. Spain’s Group Spain maintained their impressive qualifying group run with a 2-0 win over Georgia after strikes from Jéremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal in Elche. The result continued the European champions’ perfect record in the qualifiers, having scored eleven strikes in three matches without letting in a goal. In spite of the absence of key figures such as Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Rodri due to injuries, Luis de la Fuente’s side showcased their superiority against a Georgia team that spent the majority of the game defending deep. The home side dominated the match with over eighty percent possession, and the visitors did not have one shot on target or generate a clear chance, with only goalkeeper their keeper preventing a heavy defeat. Pino opened the scoring in the first half from a expertly taken set-piece move, and his compatriot wrapped up the victory in the second period with a stunning set-piece after Mamardashvili had saved a Spanish player’s penalty. Additional Results Turkey returned to winning ways with a comprehensive victory over the Bulgarian side to keep the pressure on the group leaders in their section. Real Madrid’s Arda Güler was among the goal-getters. Italy improved their prospects of at least making the knockout stage with a 3-1 victory away to the Estonian team, thanks to strikes from a forward, Mateo Retegui, and a third scorer. Gennaro Gattuso said: “Our focus isn’t on the group leaders or our next opponents. We know what we have to do.” The Azzurri failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, twice missing out in the playoffs, and the feared playoff path now looks their primary chance after Norway’s comprehensive win over Israel in Group I. The Norwegians are top on 18 points from six matches. Italy have 12 points with a match less played on their rivals and are a trio of points ahead of their next opponents. Estonia remain in fourth place on three points. The top teams qualify directly for the tournament, with the runners-up entering the qualifying stage. The Italian national team face their rivals on Tuesday, where a victory would cement the runner-up position and, while they can still theoretically overtake the group leaders on the table, the leaders’ far superior goal ratio means a playoff spot likely beckons for the Italian squad.