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The Portuguese midfielder was the hero for the Portuguese side with a dramatic winner in their World Cup encounter against the Republic of Ireland, following Caoimhín Kelleher had denied a spot-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Match Summary

Neves nodded in during added time to snatch a slender triumph, several seasons after the star striker had bagged a brace at the death to defeat a stubborn Irish side.

The Irish squad appeared poised to depart the Portuguese capital with a well-earned point, but ultimately suffered defeat, despite regaining a good deal of honor with a battling performance that overshadowed some of the recollections of last month’s disappointing defeat in Armenia.

Nevertheless, the defeat leaves them in a difficult position, with their first three Group F games having yielded only a single draw. They must defeat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to keep alive any chance of securing a playoff spot.

Key Moments

• Kelleher seemed to have secured Ireland a draw when he superbly saved Ronaldo’s spot-kick with his trailing leg after Francisco Trincão’s effort had hit Dara O’Shea’s arm.
• The match-winner came to his side’s rescue in the first minute of added time when he directed Trincão’s cross past the Irish goalkeeper.

Other Qualifying Outcomes

Portugal’s Group

Hungary boosted their chances of qualifying by securing their first win with a 2-0 victory over Armenia, climbing above their opponents into the runner-up spot behind the group leaders in Group F. Daniel Lukacs gave his team the lead in the opening period and Zsombor Gruber secured the victory in late added time.

Group K

Serbia slipped to a 1-0 loss at home to Albania, with the outcome meaning the Three Lions can now secure their qualification from their qualifying group by defeating Latvia on Tuesday. Rey Manaj scored the only goal for Albania with a well-taken volley in first-half stoppage time.

Latvia difficulties in Group K persisted as they were held to a 2-2 tie at home by Andorra. Ian Olivera scored for the visitors 12 minutes from time to claim them their first point of the qualifiers and extend Latvia’s winless run to several matches.

Group E

The Spanish national team continued their impressive Group E campaign with a comfortable victory over the Georgian side after strikes from Jéremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal in Elche. The win continued the European champions’ flawless run in the qualifiers, having scored 11 goals in three matches without conceding.

Despite the absence of key figures such as a talented winger, another forward, and the midfield anchor due to fitness issues, the Spanish squad showcased their superiority against a Georgian team that spent most of the match defending deep. The home side dominated the encounter with over eighty percent of the ball, and Georgia did not have one shot on target or generate a clear chance, with only shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili preventing a heavy defeat.

Pino broke the deadlock in the first half from a expertly taken set-piece move, and his compatriot wrapped up the win in the second period with a stunning free kick after the Georgian keeper had saved Ferran Torres’s penalty.

Other Scores

• The Turkish national team returned to winning ways with a 6-1 victory over the Bulgarian side to keep the pressure on Spain in Group E. The Spanish club’s Arda Güler was one of the scorers.
• Italy boosted their hopes of at least making the qualifying playoffs with a 3-1 win away to Estonia, thanks to strikes from Moise Kean, 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 previous two global tournaments, on two occasions falling short in the playoffs, and the dreaded backdoor route now appears their primary opportunity after the Norwegian team’s comprehensive hammering over Israel in their qualifying group. Norway are top 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 Israel. Estonia stay in fourth place on three points. The top teams advance automatically for the World Cup, with the second-placed sides entering the qualifying stage.

The Italian national team host their rivals on Tuesday, where a victory would cement second spot and, while they can still theoretically overtake Norway on the table, the leaders’ much better goal ratio means a qualifying place probably awaits for the Italian squad.