HomeOlympics
FootballBoxingRugby
Sign In
Popular Sports
All Sports
Show All

PORTUGAL VS IRELAND Good evening all and welcome to the first World Cup qualifiers of the new season with Portugal taking on Ireland in the latest round of Group A fixtures. Portugal currently top the group, level with Serbia on seven points, while Ireland are without a single point after their first two games. It´s bleak for Ireland so far and they won´t be favourites tonight, but can they pull off an upset against Cristiano Ronaldo and his men. Manchester United fans will be watching closely and praying that the superstar avoids injury ahead of his monumental return to Old Trafford this summer. All that coming up with kick-off at 7.45, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights.

World Cup Qualification UEFA / Matchday 4
Estádio Algarve / 01.09.2021
Live
Live Updates
Pete Sharland
ByPete Sharland

Updated 01/09/2021 at 21:49 GMT+1

End of 2nd Half
FULL TIME
What can you do? What can you say?
Ronaldo had little to do with this game until the 88th minute, but you just sense that he loves to leave it late, loves to be there hero, loves the drama.
And that´s what´s happened. A brilliant late brace wins it for Portugal and Ireland can and will despair after a gutsy performance that deserved so much more.
90+5´
GOAL! PORTUGAL 2 IRELAND 1 (Ronaldo 90+5´)
HE´S WON IT!
RONALDO GETS HIS 111TH GOAL AND A WINNER FOR PORTUGAL!
It´s so cruel after such a gutsy performance from Ireland but what can you do?
Ronaldo rises highest to another cross and sends another unstoppable header into the net. It´s a brilliant header and he tears his shirt off in celebration.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal
Portugal
90+5´
Joao Mario now sends a fizzing effort into the arms of Bazunu who has been brilliant tonight.
A nervy last few moments for Ireland who were mere minutes away from victory.
90+2´
Portugal come again...
Time for one more?
89´
GOAL! PORTUGAL 1 IRELAND 1 (Ronaldo 89´)
HE´S GOT IT! 110! THE LEVELLER!
Moments after Bizunu produced a brilliant save to deny Ronaldo´s free-kick, he´s there once again with a trademark header planted into the corner.
It´s a cruel game, and we´re all square!
Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal
Portugal
88´
CLOSE!
Joao Mario with the shot! ANOTHER BLOCK! So impressive.
But what´s this? The referee is pulling back play for a handball on the edge of the box...
Ronaldo steps up...
87´
Ireland oust the Portuguese frontline out of their box once again and more and more heads in red shirts are dropping as this looks like Ireland´s night.
83´
CHANCE!
Andre Silva blazes a bicycle kick over the bar after Matt Doherty´s poor clearing header.
Not long now for a famous Irish win..
Guedes replaces Cancelo for City.
G. Guedes
On
G. Guedes
Portugal
Portugal
J. Cancelo
Off
J. Cancelo
Portugal
Portugal
81´
TEN MINUTES REMAINING
79´
Ireland´s numbers on the break are diminishing, as is their energy levels.
Portugal keep coming but every ball in is headed clear, every pass into the box intercepted, every shot blocked.
75´
WHAT A MISS!
Ronaldo whips a ball into the box and it´s at the feet of Bernardo Silva. He cuts to his right, sets himself up without a defender in sight, and blazes over from six yards.
Awful!
74´
Portugal have had so many corners and they´ve all been pretty dreadful, with most struggling to beat the first man.
Bernardo Silva has a good run on goal with a few dummies but his shot is well charged down and blocked.
Moutinho replaces Palhina as Portugal throw the dice.
72´
McClean is on for Connolly now...okay maybe he was a little injured then.
J. McClean
On
J. McClean
Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
A. Connolly
Off
A. Connolly
Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
71´
Ronaldo seems to have abandoned any hopes of taking the record tonight and looks determined to drop deeper and provide for his team-mates.
Connolly spends an extended period on the ground and the medical team are on with the stretcher. A sceptic would say he is faking it because he gets up without the stretcher and is now back on the field.
A sceptic would say that
68´
Cancelo having more and more joy for Portugal who are looking a little more dangerous now.
Three points tonight would mean everything to Ireland and effectively undo that awful 1-0 defeat to Luxembourg.
65´
Ireland starting to run out of energy a bit now with Doherty looking particularly beleaguered.
Portugal come again...
62´
Fernandes is off with a shake of the head, Joao Mario takes his place.
New PSG signing Nuno Mendes is on for Guerreiro.
João Mário
On
João Mário
Portugal
Portugal
B. Fernandes
Off
B. Fernandes
Portugal
Portugal
62´
Ronaldo is playing out left at the moment and is having a few more touches on the ball.
There´s a lot of whistling from the crowd and I´ll admit, Ireland are taking their time over just about everything, winding the Portuguese up good and proper.
60´
CLOSE!
WHAT A MOMENT!
Ireland on the counter-attack again and Connolly is in space six yards from goal with the ball on the bounce but he sends his effort wide!
Connolly simply cannot hit the target tonight and really should´ve scored there!
59´
Doherty receiving an absolute chorus of boos for that time-wasting which i can only imagine he enjoys.
Portugal with all the possession right now, but still doing little with it.