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The Portuguese midfielder came to the rescue for the Portuguese side with a last-gasp decisive strike in their World Cup qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland, after Caoimhín Kelleher had kept out a penalty from the veteran forward.

Match Overview

Neves headed home during stoppage time to secure a 1-0 victory, several seasons after the star striker had bagged a brace at the death to defeat a stubborn Ireland team.

The Irish squad appeared poised to leave Lisbon with a well-earned point, but in the end suffered defeat, despite regaining a good deal of pride with a battling display that overshadowed some of the recollections of last month’s disappointing loss in Armenia.

However, the loss puts them staring down the barrel, with their first three qualifying group games having yielded only a single draw. They need to beat Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday to maintain any hope of securing a playoff spot.

Major Moments

• The Liverpool keeper seemed to have earned Ireland a point when he superbly saved Ronaldo’s penalty with his trailing leg after a Portuguese player’s shot had hit Dara O’Shea’s hand.
• The match-winner saved Portugal in the first minute of added time when he headed a delivery from the wing past the Irish goalkeeper.

Additional Qualifying Results

Group F

Hungary enhanced their chances of advancing by securing their initial victory with a 2-0 triumph over the Armenian side, climbing above their opponents into second place behind the group leaders in the standings. Daniel Lukacs provided his team the lead in the first half and a teammate made sure of the victory in late added time.

England’s Group

Serbia slipped to a 1-0 loss at home to Albania, with the outcome meaning England can now secure their qualification from their qualifying group by beating Latvia on Tuesday. An Albanian striker scored the only goal for Albania with a neat shot in late added time.

The Latvian side struggles in Group K continued as they were forced to a two-all draw at home by Andorra. An Andorran player scored for the away side 12 minutes from time to earn them their first point of the qualifying campaign and prolong Latvia’s poor form to five games.

Group E

Spain maintained their impressive qualifying group run with a 2-0 victory over the Georgian side after strikes from Jéremy Pino and his teammate in Elche. The win extended the title holders’ flawless record in the qualifiers, having scored eleven strikes in three matches without letting in a goal.

Despite the absence of players such as Lamine Yamal, another forward, and Rodri due to fitness issues, Luis de la Fuente’s side showcased their dominance against a Georgia team that spent the majority of the game defending deep. The home side controlled the encounter with more than 80% possession, and Georgia did not have a single attempt on target or generate a scoring opportunity, with only goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili averting a rout.

Pino opened the scoring in the first half from a expertly taken set-piece move, and Oyarzabal wrapped up the win in the second period with a spectacular free kick after the Georgian keeper had saved Ferran Torres’s penalty.

Additional Results

• Turkey returned to winning ways with a 6-1 victory over the Bulgarian side to stay close to the group leaders in their section. Real Madrid’s a young talent was one of the goal-getters.
• The Italian squad improved their prospects of at least reaching the qualifying playoffs with a 3-1 victory away to the Estonian team, thanks to strikes from a forward, Mateo Retegui, and a third scorer.

The Italian coach said: “We’re not thinking about the group leaders or Israel. We are aware of what we have to do.”

Italy failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, twice falling short in the playoffs, and the feared playoff path now looks their primary chance after the Norwegian team’s comprehensive win over Israel in their qualifying group. The Norwegians are leading on 18 points from six matches. Italy have 12 points with a match less played on their rivals and are a trio of points clear of their next opponents. The Estonian squad remain fourth on three points. The group winners advance automatically for the tournament, with the runners-up entering the qualifying stage.

The Italian national team face their rivals on Tuesday, where a victory would secure second spot and, while they can still mathematically overtake Norway on points, the leaders’ far superior goal difference means a playoff spot likely awaits for the Italian squad.