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

Game Overview

Neves found the net during injury time to snatch a narrow victory, several seasons after Ronaldo had bagged a brace at the death to overcome a stubborn Irish side.

The Irish squad looked set to leave Lisbon with a hard-fought draw, but in the end suffered defeat, despite regaining a significant amount of honor with a battling display that overshadowed some of the memories of last month’s embarrassing defeat in Armenia.

However, the loss leaves them in a difficult position, with their first three qualifying group games having produced only a solitary draw. They must defeat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to maintain any chance of claiming a playoff spot.

Key Moments

• The Liverpool keeper seemed to have earned Ireland a draw when he superbly kept out Ronaldo’s penalty with his trailing leg after a Portuguese player’s effort had struck Dara O’Shea’s hand.
• The match-winner saved Portugal in the opening moments of added time when he directed Trincão’s cross past Kelleher.

Other Qualifying Results

Group F

Hungary enhanced their chances of advancing by picking up their initial victory with a 2-0 triumph over the Armenian side, climbing above their opponents into second place behind Portugal in the standings. A Hungarian forward gave his team the lead in the first half and Zsombor Gruber secured the points in second-half added time.

Group K

Serbia suffered a 1-0 loss at home to the Albanian squad, with the result meaning the Three Lions can now seal their passage from Group K by beating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker netted the only goal for Albania with a well-taken volley in late added time.

Latvia struggles in their group continued as they were forced to a two-all draw at home by the Andorran team. An Andorran player found the net for the away side 12 minutes from time to earn them their first point of the qualifiers and extend Latvia’s winless run to several matches.

Spain’s Group

Spain continued their dominant Group E campaign with a 2-0 win over Georgia after goals from a Spanish attacker and Mikel Oyarzabal in Elche. The win extended the title holders’ flawless record in the qualifiers, having scored eleven strikes in three matches without conceding.

Despite the absence of players 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. Spain controlled the encounter with over eighty percent of the ball, and the visitors did not have a single attempt on target or create a clear chance, with only shot-stopper their keeper averting a rout.

Pino broke the deadlock in the 24th minute from a expertly taken set-piece routine, and his compatriot secured the win in the second period with a stunning set-piece after the Georgian keeper had saved Ferran Torres’s spot-kick.

Additional Scores

• Turkey returned to winning ways with a comprehensive victory over the Bulgarian side to keep the pressure on Spain in Group E. The Spanish club’s a young talent was among the scorers.
• Italy improved their prospects of at least making the knockout stage with a 3-1 win away to the Estonian team, thanks to strikes from Moise Kean, another attacker, and a third scorer.

The Italian coach said: “We’re not thinking about Norway or Israel. We know our responsibilities.”

The Azzurri missed out for the previous two World Cups, on two occasions missing out in the playoffs, and the dreaded playoff path now looks their primary opportunity after the Norwegian team’s comprehensive win over the Israeli side in Group I. The Norwegians are leading on eighteen points from six matches. Italy have 12 points with a match less played on their competitors 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 World Cup, with the second-placed sides going into the playoffs.

The Italian national team host their rivals on Tuesday, where a win would cement second spot and, while they can still theoretically overtake the group leaders on points, the leaders’ far superior goal ratio means a qualifying place probably beckons for Gennaro Gattuso’s side.