Overview
- Troy Parrott struck twice, including a nod from a Liam Scales set-piece, to sink the world No. 5 in Dublin.
- Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing Dara O’Shea, leaving Portugal with ten men for the final half hour.
- Heimir Hallgrimsson’s switch to a five-man back line has yielded three strong displays with just one goal conceded across 270 minutes.
- A win over Hungary on Sunday would move Ireland into second and guarantee at least a play-off berth.
- Portugal can still qualify directly by beating Armenia, while outcomes in Hungary vs Ireland also influence whether they advance or face the play-offs.