World Cup qualifier: Portugal 1 (Neves 90) Ireland 0
Portugal: Costa; Dalot (Semedo 61), Inacio (Veiga 45), Dias, Mendes; Vitinha (Trincao 61), Neves, Fernandes (Ramos 86); Silva, Neto (Leao 61), Ronaldo
Ireland: Kelleher; Ebosele (Johnston 64), Coleman (Egan 86), O’Brien, O’Shea, Manning; Collins (capt), Cullen, Molumby; Ogbene (Smallbone 79), Ferguson (Parrott 79)
That’s all from me for this evening, disappointing one, good night!
Here is the match report from Gavin:
[ Heartbreak for valiant Ireland as Portugal produce late winner in LisbonOpens in new window ]
And the ratings from Gordon:
Jake O’Brien, who was named man of the match on RTÉ: “Very disappointing, we dug in all game. Just one moment we switched off, they capitalised. We deserved a point, it’s disappointing. Playing teams like this, a small moment in the box, they got their moment. It’s a quick turnaround, we’ll go again.”
Full-time: Portugal 1 Ireland 0
Good try by Ireland, sickening way to lose it in stoppage time. Again another heartbreaking defeat to Portugal away from home in the final minutes.
Ireland open up and it gives Portugal space and a chance on the counter, Leao running down the wing and almost sticking it in for a second.
90+1 mins: Goal for Portugal! Neves scores from a header, harsh. Trincao with a great cross and Neves gets there before Kelleher.
Portugal 1 Ireland 0
Seven minutes of injury time, oh dear.
89 mins: Ramos is on for Fernandes and gets across the first defender after a cross from Dias but heads wide. Cullen fouls Ramos and gets a yellow card, which unfortunately rules him out of Tuesday’s game against Armenia. Very important touch by Egan after an intricate pass nearly got Ronaldo through.
86 mins: Hallgrímsson tried to put Egan on but the ref wouldn’t allow it, who hasn’t in Ireland’s favour today at all. Finally Egan on for Coleman.
81 mins: Another brilliant intervention from 37-year-old Séamus Coleman, who has been excellent, but looks to be running out on empty a little.
78 mins: Maybe justice done as it looked like a very harsh decision. Still another tense 10-15 minutes to get through.
73 mins: Penalty for Portugal! Oh no. Handball call on Dara O’Shea, but it looked like it came off his chest... surely should go to VAR.
He doesn’t go to the screen, that’s very controversial.
KELLEHER SAVES IT! Ronaldo went down the middle and Kelleher stuck a foot up.
71 mins: Half-chance by Ireland after a long ball by Kelleher from the hands, Ogbene competed for it well and fell to him, good cross but just about hooked away by Portugal.
Then Semedo puts in an excellent low cross that gets past Collins but Ronaldo should finish better, goes wide.
67 mins: Portugal probing and everyone is back for Ireland. Molumby, who has had a good game, wins a free off Fernandes.
63 mins: Neves clips a ball into the box, lovely ball and Semedo is free but mishits it.
First Ireland sub, Mikey Johnston replaces Ebosele. Positive move.
60 mins: Good save by Kelleher, Neves had options left and right running with him on the counter, but went for the curler and saved. Getting a bit ragged for Ireland. Another save for Kelleher, from Vitinha from distance. You’d think they need a few subs soon, looking tired.
Portugal make a triple sub, Leao could be very dangerous against tired defenders.
57 mins: More heroic defending by Ireland, but you wonder how much longer they can keep Portugal out. A few hairy moments around the box, Neto a big threat with his pace.
54 mins: Ferguson struggling physically against the bruiser Portuguese centre-backs. Ronaldo takes a slightly selfish effort from distance with his left well wide. A better chance for Ronaldo a minute later after more chaos in the box, just pulls it narrowly wide with a low shot after he took it down well.
51 mins: Dangerous for Ireland as Dalot puts in a great cross for Ronaldo who heads it wide, but good defending by Collins to put him off.
48 mins: Another long-range shot by Bruno, blocked by Collins, then some chaos in the box but Ireland eventually clear it.
The second half about to start, Veiga on for Inacio at the back for Portugal.
45 mins: Big block by Collins. Neto skins Manning, comes off O’Shea then to Bernardo from six yards out but Collins with a strong block. Another corner, but cleared.
Half-time: Portugal 0 Ireland 0
Not bad at all. Got away with a few moments, but much improved display. Only halfway there though, Parrott on for Ogbene might be a change worth making to try for a goal on the break.
44 mins: Ball given away sloppily by Molumby, Bruno goes for a long-distance shot but comfortably saved by Kelleher, straight at him.
42 mins: Big save by Kelleher from the corner! Inacio with a flick on near post from Bruno, important save by the Corkman.
39 mins: Big header by Collins from a corner, then Vitinha takes a shot from outside the box, big deflection off O’Brien but just goes over the bar.
Counter for Ireland as Jake O’Brien tries to run in behind but too slow by Ireland and the chance ends.
35 mins: Shot by Neto tried to catch Kelleher out but drags the shot wide. Going well for Ireland though so far. Inacio hacks down Ebosele and surprisingly doesn’t get a yellow card.
32 mins: Dangerous cross by Neves into Ronaldo and he would have been in for it only for a great defensive header by O’Shea.
Oof close by Ireland, brilliant diagonal ball by Coleman but an important intervention by Dalot to take it away from Ogbene.
26 mins: Decent play by Ireland as they go side to side, ends up with a 30-year shot by Molumby which goes over the bar.
23 mins: A remembrance of Diogo Jota by the crowd in the 21st minute, who tragically died earlier this year. Good run by Ronaldo but Inacio’s pass is overhit out of play.
21 mins: Unsurprisingly, Ireland are under the cosh here. Neves goes for a long-range effort, not as good as Ronaldo’s though as it goes well wide.
18 mins: Big chance! Ronaldo nearly scores out of nothing, fantastic shot from outside the box had beaten Kelleher and then Bernardo misses a sitter on the rebound. Massive let-off for Ireland.
Then a yellow card by Ebosele for a foul on Mendes.
15 mins: Decent cross by Ebosele into a dangerous area, looked like Ogbene was pushed by Bruno in the box. But gathered by Costa.
12 mins: Bruno Fernandes shifts the ball past O’Shea but his curling shot is well wide. Ferguson struggling to get much to stay up front.
8 mins: Neto beats his man and Mendes gets on the end of it but a wild effort nowhere near the goal.
5 mins: Portugal’s full-backs up like wingers to put Ireland under pressure. Coleman heads out a cross from another corner. Poor corner again by Mendes as it goes straight out of play.
3 mins: Early long ball to put Portugal under pressure, Ireland taking up a deep shape. Portugal win an early corner as Neto wins an early corner for Portugal. Poor corner though.
The teams are out on the pitch in Lisbon. Amhrán na bhFiann and the Portuguese national anthem.
A second goal for Hungary against Armenia, Zsombor Gruber off the bench. 2-0 Hungary, no big surprise there and Hungary do what they need to do to move to second in the group with four points.
Portugal would win the group by beating Ireland and then Hungary on Tuesday.
A goal for Hungary against Armenia, Lukacs with the goal on 56 minutes. 1-0 to Hungary with 15 minutes left there.
Séamus Coleman starts, while it looks like they’re going for pace on the counter with Ebosele and Ogbene. It’s going to be 5 at the back, the first time under Hallgrímsson.
Portugal have Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line, Bruno in behind him. Third in Ballon d’Or Vitinha in midfield. Formidable line-up.
Evan Ferguson is not too worried about his lack of a goal so far for Roma, just right as he did score twice for Ireland in the last international break:
“I think, if you watch the games, I’ve done quite well in most of them but not had too many chances. It is what it is, you want to score goals, there is no getting around that, but I’m not really too worried to be honest.”

Some good vibes now, remembering Matt Holland’s goal to equalise for Ireland against Portugal in 2000, the only time they’ve got a result there:
[ 25 years on: The night Matt Holland earned Ireland a vital point away to PortugalOpens in new window ]

In the other game in the group, it’s Hungary 0 Armenia 0 at half-time in Budapest. Armenia aren’t really a true team outside the top 100 as they showed against Ireland, and have been much better under new management. Underestimate them at your peril.
Here is Ken Early’s take on the whole situation with Hallgrímsson and Ireland:
“There has been talk this week about our players’ struggle with the “heavy shirt”. Are we giving ourselves too much credit? Really, why should Ireland be a heavy shirt? A heavy shirt usually means teams like Brazil, Real Madrid, Manchester United – institutions with a tradition of greatness that can intimidate the self-doubting player.
“Ireland, who have qualified for the finals of six out of 38 (soon to be 39) tournaments in their history, are clearly not in this category. The Irish fan base is easy to please – eager to celebrate, grateful for anything. A heavy shirt was what Fred was wearing in the 2014 World Cup semi-final against Germany. Brazil were losing 5-0 and their struggling centre forward was being viciously abused by his own fans. The closest thing to that Ireland have ever experienced in a tournament finals was being crushed 4-0 by Spain in Gdansk, and the supporters reacted by singing The Fields of Athenry for 15 minutes.
“Maybe wallowing in how it all went wrong in Armenia is less self-flagellation than a kind of self-flattery. It’s subtly empowering to agonise about how we were the architects of our own downfall. We’re implying that we, and not Armenia, were the ones in control. If the defeat was a self-inflicted wound then at least we were the ones holding the knife.”
[ Heimir Hallgrímsson seems like more of a bystander than the actual Ireland coachOpens in new window ]
Here is Gavin Cummiskey’s match preview:
“Time is against the Republic of Ireland. Thirty-two days is not enough space to recover from the humiliating defeat to Armenia and the unravelling of Heimir Hallgrímsson’s promise to produce a side capable of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
“Portugal in Lisbon, in the first home game since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota, comes too soon for an Ireland group that had their confidence shattered by losing to a country ranked 105th in the world."
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Ireland’s game away to Portugal in Group F of Uefa qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America. It’s been a dispiriting start for Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men after defeat to Armenia in their previous game. Realistically tonight is a shot to nothing against one of the best teams in world football, with a midfield and bench midfield with many times the quality of Ireland’s. A surprise result would make up a long way for the disappointing start, but it may have to be a smash and grab. At least Troy Parrott and Evan Ferguson have overcome recent injury concerns. Here is the Ireland squad.
Goalkeepers: Caoimhín Kelleher (Brentford), Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Mark Travers (Everton).
Defenders: Séamus Coleman (Everton), Jake O’Brien (Everton), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Liam Scales (Celtic), John Egan (HullCity), Ryan Manning (Southampton), Will Ferry (Dundee United).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Will Smallbone (Millwall), Jack Taylor (IpswichTown), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Finn Azaz (Southampton).
Attackers: Evan Ferguson (AS Roma), Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Adam Idah (Swansea City), Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion), Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United), Festy Ebosele (Istanbul Başakşehir), Kasey McAteer (Ipswich Town).