Overview
- Referee Glenn Nyberg upgraded an initial yellow to a direct red after a VAR check for Ronaldo’s elbow on Dara O’Shea.
- The dismissal triggers an automatic suspension that rules Ronaldo out of Portugal’s next qualifier against Armenia.
- Portugal’s defeat leaves direct qualification dependent on beating Armenia in the final group match.
- Under FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, elbows can be deemed violent conduct with a minimum three‑match ban that can carry into the World Cup.
- This was Ronaldo’s first sending‑off for Portugal, coming in his 226th appearance for the national team.