🔗 Share this article Stoppage-Time Goal from Neves Shocks the Irish Following Kelleher Denies Cristiano Ronaldo Penalty Rúben Neves came to the rescue for the Portuguese side with a dramatic winning goal in their World Cup qualifying match against Ireland, after Caoimhín Kelleher had kept out a penalty from the veteran forward. Game Overview Neves nodded in during injury time to secure a slender win, four years after the star striker had bagged a brace late on to defeat a stubborn Irish side. Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men looked set to leave Lisbon with a hard-fought draw, but in the end left empty-handed, despite restoring a good deal of honor with a gritty display that erased some of the memories of last month’s disappointing defeat in Armenia. Nevertheless, the defeat leaves them in a difficult position, with their initial trio of qualifying group games having yielded only a single point. They must defeat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to keep alive any hope of securing a playoff place. Key Incidents The Liverpool keeper looked to have earned Ireland a draw when he brilliantly saved Ronaldo’s penalty with his trailing leg after Francisco Trincão’s shot had hit Dara O’Shea’s hand. Neves came to his side’s rescue in the first minute of added time when he directed Trincão’s cross past the Irish goalkeeper. Additional Group Results Portugal’s Group Hungary enhanced their chances of advancing by picking up their initial victory with a 2-0 triumph over Armenia, climbing above their opponents into the runner-up spot behind Portugal in Group F. Daniel Lukacs provided Hungary the lead in the opening period and Zsombor Gruber made sure of the points in late added time. England’s Group Serbia suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to the Albanian squad, with the outcome meaning England can now secure their passage from Group K by defeating Latvia on Tuesday. Rey Manaj scored the decisive strike for Albania with a well-taken shot in late added time. Latvia difficulties in Group K continued 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 earn them their first point of the qualifiers and extend Latvia’s winless run to several matches. Group E Spain maintained their dominant qualifying group campaign with a comfortable win over Georgia after strikes from a Spanish attacker and Mikel Oyarzabal in the match venue. The result extended the title holders’ flawless record in qualifying, having notched 11 goals in three games without letting in a goal. Despite the unavailability of key figures such as a talented winger, another forward, and the midfield anchor due to injuries, the Spanish squad showcased their dominance against a Georgian team that passed most of the match defending deep. Spain dominated the encounter with over eighty percent possession, and Georgia did not have one shot on target or generate a scoring opportunity, with only goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili averting a heavy defeat. Pino opened the scoring in the first half from a well-executed set-piece move, and Oyarzabal secured the win in the second period with a stunning set-piece after the Georgian keeper had saved a Spanish player’s spot-kick. Additional Results Turkey bounced back with a comprehensive thrashing over Bulgaria to keep the pressure on the group leaders 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 knockout stage with a comfortable victory away to the Estonian team, thanks to goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui, and a third scorer. The Italian coach commented: “We’re not thinking about Norway or Israel. We know our responsibilities.” Italy failed to qualify for the last two global tournaments, on two occasions missing out in the playoffs, and the feared playoff path now looks their primary opportunity after the Norwegian team’s 5-0 win over the Israeli side in Group I. The Norwegians are leading on 18 points from six games. Italy have 12 points with a game in hand on their rivals and are three points clear of their next opponents. Estonia stay fourth on three points. The group winners qualify directly for the tournament, with the second-placed sides entering the playoffs. The Italian national team face their rivals on Tuesday, where a win would secure the runner-up position and, while they can still mathematically overtake Norway on the table, the Norwegians’ far superior goal difference means a playoff spot likely beckons for the Italian squad.