Overview
- Troy Parrott scored twice in Dublin to secure a 2-0 win that kept Ireland’s hopes alive and left Group F to be decided on the final matchday.
- Referee Glenn Nyberg upgraded an initial yellow to a straight red after VAR official Pol van Boekel sent him to the monitor for Ronaldo’s elbow on Dara O’Shea.
- Heimir Hallgrimsson said Ronaldo told him he had ‘put pressure on the referee,’ while Roberto Martinez called the dismissal harsh and noted it was Ronaldo’s first in 226 Portugal appearances.
- Under FIFA rules a straight red in qualifying can carry across competitions, meaning Ronaldo’s ban could extend to Portugal’s World Cup opener if they qualify.
- A Bola reported Ronaldo has been released from the national-team camp to return to Saudi Arabia, a move not confirmed by the Portuguese federation, as Portugal host Armenia and Ireland visit Hungary this weekend.