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The Portuguese midfielder saved the day for the Portuguese side with a last-gasp winning goal in their World Cup qualifying match against Ireland, after Caoimhín Kelleher had kept out a penalty from the veteran forward.

Game Overview

The Wolves midfielder found the net during stoppage time to secure a 1-0 triumph, several seasons after the star striker had scored twice late on to overcome a stubborn Ireland team.

Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men looked set to leave Lisbon with a hard-fought draw, but in the end suffered defeat, despite restoring a significant amount of honor with a gritty display that overshadowed some of the memories of last month’s embarrassing loss in Armenia.

However, the loss leaves them staring down the barrel, with their initial trio of qualifying group games having yielded only a solitary point. They need to beat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to maintain any hope of claiming a qualifying spot.

Key Moments

• Kelleher looked to have secured Ireland a point when he brilliantly kept out Ronaldo’s penalty with his outstretched foot after Francisco Trincão’s shot had hit an Irish defender’s hand.
• The match-winner came to his side’s rescue in the opening moments of stoppage time when he directed Trincão’s cross past the Irish goalkeeper.

Other Qualifying Results

Group F

The Hungarian team boosted their chances of qualifying by securing their initial victory with a two-goal victory over the Armenian side, climbing above their opponents into second place behind Portugal in the standings. A Hungarian forward gave Hungary the advantage in the first half and a teammate secured the points in late added time.

Group K

Serbia suffered a narrow loss at home to Albania, with the outcome meaning the Three Lions can now seal their passage from their qualifying group by beating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker scored the only goal for Albania with a neat shot in first-half stoppage time.

The Latvian side difficulties in Group K persisted as they were forced to a two-all tie at home by Andorra. Ian Olivera found the net for the visitors 12 minutes from time to claim them their initial draw of the qualifiers and prolong Latvia’s poor form to several matches.

Group E

Spain maintained their impressive qualifying group run with a 2-0 victory over the Georgian side after goals from a Spanish attacker and Mikel Oyarzabal in Elche. The win continued the European champions’ perfect record in the qualifiers, having notched eleven strikes in three games without conceding.

Despite the absence of players such as a talented winger, another forward, and Rodri due to injuries, Luis de la Fuente’s side showcased their superiority against a Georgian team that passed most of the match sitting back. 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 shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili preventing a heavy defeat.

The scorer broke the deadlock in the 24th minute from a well-executed set-piece routine, and his compatriot secured the win in the second period with a stunning set-piece after Mamardashvili had denied a Spanish player’s spot-kick.

Other Scores

• Turkey returned to winning ways with a 6-1 thrashing over Bulgaria to stay close to Spain in their section. Real Madrid’s a young talent was one of the scorers.
• Italy improved their hopes of at least reaching the qualifying playoffs with a comfortable win away to Estonia, thanks to goals from a forward, another attacker, and Francesco Pio Esposito.

The Italian coach commented: “We’re not thinking about Norway or Israel. We are aware of our responsibilities.”

Italy missed out for the last two World Cups, twice falling short in the playoffs, and the dreaded backdoor route now looks their most likely opportunity after the Norwegian team’s 5-0 hammering over Israel in Group I. Norway are leading on eighteen points from six matches. The Italians 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 stay in fourth place on three points. The top teams qualify directly for the tournament, with the second-placed sides entering the qualifying stage.

The Italian national team host Israel on Tuesday, where a victory would cement second spot and, while they can still mathematically catch Norway on points, the Norwegians’ much better goal difference means a playoff spot probably beckons for the Italian squad.