Ronaldo sent off as Ireland stun Portugal to keep World Cup hopes alive

Troy Parrott scores doubly successful archetypal fractional to support Ireland’s hopes of reaching adjacent tourney live with a celebrated victory.

Ireland person stunned Portugal 2-0 to support their constrictive way to adjacent year’s World Cup unfastened and marque the Nations League winners hold to publication an automatic spot connected a nighttime wherever their skipper Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off.

Ireland, who person not qualified for a large tourney successful a decennary and past reached a World Cup successful 2002, needed astatine slightest a gully connected Thursday to support their qualification hopes live and a archetypal fractional Troy Parrott treble capped their champion show successful years.

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They inactive request a triumph successful Budapest connected Sunday to assertion a spot successful adjacent March’s playoffs aft second-placed Hungary won 1-0 successful Armenia. A gully astatine location to bottom-placed Armenia is apt the astir Portugal request to unafraid automatic qualification.

But they volition person to bash it without Ronaldo, whose archetypal yellowish paper for lashing retired with an elbow to the backmost of Ireland defender Dara O’Shea was upgraded aft reappraisal to his archetypal ever reddish paper for Portugal successful his 226th appearance.

Portugal, who were moments distant from securing their seventh successive World Cup quality a period agone earlier a stoppage-time Hungarian equaliser successful Lisbon, fell down connected 17 minutes aft Liam Scales headed a fizzed-in country backmost crossed extremity and Parrott could not miss.

Well worthy the lead, Ireland went inches from doubling it erstwhile Chiedozie Ogbene struck the station with a good effort earlier in-form AZ Alkmaar striker Parrott recovered the bottommost country with a superb decorativeness from akin region conscionable earlier the break.

Ireland, who defended gallantly successful the reverse fixture earlier going down to a precocious goal, did not necessitate a repetition erstwhile Ronaldo received his marching orders connected the hour, sarcastically clapping the delighted location fans arsenic helium departed.

Portugal, who are assured astatine slightest a playoff spot, are 2 points wide of Hungary astatine the apical of Group F with a superior extremity difference. The Irish are 1 constituent further back.

Parrott told RTE that it was “probably the champion night” of his life.

“It is specified a alleviation and overwhelming feeling to spot the hard enactment paying off,” helium said.

“We each knew however important this crippled was for us, particularly fixed the different effect contiguous [Hungary bushed Armenia]. I americium conscionable overwhelmed, I don’t cognize what words to springiness now. I americium implicit the moon.”

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson praised the backing of the fans and suggested they whitethorn person gotten to Ronaldo.

“I tin lone praise the supporters. We person astonishing fans arsenic always. They person a batch of accidental successful this win, they springiness america vigor and assistance america astatine important times. They merit this win,” helium said.

“[Ronaldo[ mislaid his absorption a small bit. Maybe it was the fans arsenic good that helped a small bit. He was frustrated and reacted successful a mode that helium knows helium shouldn’t.”

Ronaldo endures a frustrating evening against an fantabulous Ireland broadside [Paul Faith/AFP]

Elsewhere connected Thursday, Two goals from prima striker Kylian Mbappe helped nonstop two-time champions France to the 2026 World Cup with a 4-0 location triumph against Ukraine.

Midfielder Michael Olise and substitute guardant Hugo Ekitike added the different goals successful a ascendant 2nd fractional from France, the World Cup runner-up successful 2022.

Late goals from Gianluca Mancini and Francesco Pio Esposito helped Italy to a 2-0 triumph distant against Moldova connected Thursday, keeping live their faint hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup with their 5th consecutive victory.

The effect lifted Italy to 18 points, 3 down radical leaders Norway, who earlier bushed Estonia 4-1, with the 2 sides gathering connected the last qualifying matchday connected Sunday. The Azzurri present look what looks an intolerable task, needing to triumph and overturn Norway’s extremity quality of 17.

England eased to a mundane 2-0 triumph implicit Serbia with goals from Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze to marque it 7 wins from 7 games successful their World Cup qualifying run astatine a rain-soaked Wembley Stadium connected Thursday.

Serbia enactment up much absorption than successful the 5-0 location drubbing by England successful September and Dusan Vlahovic doubly went adjacent to equalising but the decision means his broadside tin nary longer decorativeness successful the apical 2 and gain a playoff shot.

Albania volition decorativeness arsenic runners-up and are guaranteed a playoff spot aft they bushed Andorra 1-0 away.