Key events
Half-time: Republic of Ireland 2-0 Portugal
Well who’d have thunk it? Ireland are winning 2-0.
Andorra 0-0 Albania, France 0-0 Ukraine and Moldova 0-0 Italy are the other scores on the doors, along with England 1-0 Serbia at Wembley.
Here’s a spot of half-time reading for you –
“In mitigation at the sorry state of football these days, it’s not ALL Rory Delapitation and set-pieces,” emails Justin Kavanagh. “We’ve just seen a rabona and a sombrero in Paris, both attempted by flashy French flair boys. Mind you, neither came off! And it’s still nil-nil.”
Oh, here’s another one from Justin …
“So if the inevitable happens, and Ronaldo scores twice in the second half, will the Portuguese achieve Parrotty? Sorry, I will get my coat now …”
Scratch that! The goal stands. It’s 2-0 to Republic of Ireland!
Mind you, the VAR is having a look, and apparently, there is a potential red card for someone, but I don’t know who.
It’s another uncomplicated ball over the top. The Portuguese defence can’t get set, Parrott cuts inside and then slides an excellent shot to the near post, that kisses the upright on its way in. The Aviva is in raptures!
45 min: Goal! Ireland 2-0 Portugal (Parrott)
Boom! It’s two.
44 min: All hands on deck for Republic of Ireland now. Shots are flying in from all angles. But Portugal can’t find a way through. Martinez strokes his chin on the sidelines.
41 min: João Félix tries a bit of trickery in the Irish penalty area. He falls over.
Republic of Ireland’s no-nonsense approach is working so far.
39 min: Now there’s a hell of a scramble in the Ireland area. They clear for a corner eventually. From the set-piece that is taken short, Diogo Dalot smacks a half-volley over the bar, and clutches his head in anguish.
37 min: After bursting down the left, Ogbene hits a sensational low shot, curling it around the last defender. He’s looking for the far corner, and hits the far post! So unlucky. Great effort. The Portuguese central defenders are looking a bit all over the shop.
35 min: More defending to do for Portugal: this time Jake O’Brien launches a long throw into the box and causes a measure of panic.
Moldova 0-0 Italy: If the Azzurri don’t win tonight, then Norway are guaranteed to win Group I. Italy would go into the playoffs.
Bukayo Saka has put England 1-0 up against Serbia.
Stalemate in Paris, still.
28 min: Portugal were dominant early doors, but Ireland have forced their way back into this, and indeed taken the lead, with their uncompromisingly direct style. The World Cup dream is still on!
25 min: Ruben Neves cracks a low shot from distance, straight at the keeper. Kelleher is equal to it.
It’s nil-nil in London, Paris, Chisinau and Encamp (Andorra).
Goalless draws really are all the rage, along with long throws and set-pieces. Although I’m sure there will be some goals in those matches, as well.
23 min: “Parrott’s goal a real sickener for Portugal … well, someone had to,” emails Justin Kavanagh.
Get out.
France are knocking on the door in Paris. Mbappé shoots low and hard and forces Anatoliy Trubin into a decent save to his left.
20 min: Ireland are on the rampage! Chiedozie Ogbene darts down the right and cuts back for Azaz, who shoots straight at Costa.
There was a big shout for a penalty moments before, for a foul on Parrott of AZ Alkmaar, but Ireland won a corner anyway. It was clipped to the far post, Liam Scales sent a great header back across the six-yard box, and Parrott was there to tuck it into the net from point-blank range!
17 min: Goal! Ireland 1-0 Portugal (Parrott)
It’s there!
15 min: Ireland have had a couple of bright moments in the last five minutes, including Troy Parrott racing down the right wing.
Now, the goalie Diogo Costa gets himself in a mess, and there are big shouts for a penalty!
In Paris, France are pushing Ukraine back and passing the ball around nicely. Olise is getting his foot on the ball. Rayan Cherki blasts a shot high and wide, while Kylian Mbappé looks to get on the end of a long ball over the top.
12 min: Portugal have had 82% possession. #Dominant
10 min: At the other end, Ronaldo belts a shot high over the bar from an angle. All five of the 7.45pm kick-offs are nil-nil.
9 min: Ireland go route one: Kelleher belts it downfield for Finn Azaz, who tries to tuck a ball inside, but it’s cut out.
Over in Paris, it’s zero-zero between France and Ukraine.
8 min: He’s gonna flick one … Ronaldo’s whipped effort is blocked by the Ireland wall.
6 min: Portugal are all over Ireland. Vitinha hits from the edge of the box. Josh Cullen penalised for handball. A free-kick, almost dead centre, just outside the box. Ronaldo will hit it.
“It might be that Seamus Coleman doesn’t feature much for Everton anymore, but this Everton fan is happy to see both him and Jake O’Brien starting tonight,” emails Matt Burtz. “I’m still of the opinion that Coleman has the best ball control skills of any Everton player over the last 10+ years.”
2 min: Ronaldo tries a cheeky backheel goalwards after a spell of Portugal possession. It’s a comfy save for Caoimhin Kelleher. Ireland’s plan seems to be to sit back and soak up pressure, which may be a dangerous game against an attacking lineup of this quality.
Roberto Martínez shakes hands with the Ireland management team, including John O’Shea, and the gaffer Heimir Hallgrimsson. We’re ready to go in Dublin.
Who remembers Portugal v Ireland in qualifying for Euro 1996, though?
The teams are out on the pitch! Portugal, as you saw from the teams below, have a promising young lad called Cristiano Ronaldo playing for them.
The DJ at the Aviva has just dropped this classic.
Jamaica will take on Trinidad & Tobago at midnight UK time in CONCACAF third-round, Group B. Billy Munday has written about Steve McClaren’s World Cup bid in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa:
Steve McClaren has spoken of a determination to put “a smile on people’s faces” in Jamaica. Over the next six days the former England manager has a golden chance to do so by guiding Jamaica to the World Cup when they play for the first time since Hurricane Melissa.
The devastating category 5 storm that made landfall on the island on 28 October is known to have killed 45 people there and displaced tens of thousands of households, with hundreds still in emergency shelters. The prime minister, Andrew Holness, said it had caused damage to homes and key infrastructure roughly equal to the value of a third of the country’s gross domestic product.
Parking a car is going to be well expensive at the World Cup, it says here:
The irrepressible Scott Murray has England v Serbia over here:
France v Ukraine teams
France: Maignan, Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne, Kante, Kone, Olise, Cherki, Barcola, Mbappe. Substitutes: Samba, Chevalier, Gusto, Nkunku, Ekitike, Akliouche, Konate, Zaire Emery, Mateta, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Khephren Thuram.
Ukraine: Trubin, Karavaev, Zabarnyi, Svatok, Mykhavko, Mykhaylichenko, Ocheretko, Yarmolyuk, Nazaryna, Gutsulyak, Yaremchuk. Substitutes: Volynets, Riznyk, Konoplya, Bondar, Kaliuzhnyi, Vanat, Shaparenko, Tsygankov, Mykolenko, Sudakov, Voloshyn,
Zubkov.
Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Republic of Ireland v Portugal teams
Republic of Ireland (5-3-2): Kelleher; Coleman, Collins, O’Shea, O’Brien, Scales; Azaz, Taylor, Cullen; Ogbene, Parrott. Substitutes: Travers, Bazunu, O’Toole, Moran, McGrath, Kenny, Johnston, Idah, Egan, Ebosele, Dunne, Coventry.
Portugal (4-3-3): Costa; Joao Cancelo, Dias, Inacio, Dalot; Joao Neves, Vitinha, Ruben Neves; Bernardo Silva, Ronaldo, Joao Felix. Substitutes: Trincao, Veiga, Nelson Semedo, Rui Silva, Leao, Matheus Luiz, Joao Palhinha, Goncalo Ramos, Francisco Conceicao, Forbs, Antonio Silva, Joao Carvalho.
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
“Iceland did what they needed, beating Azerbaijan in Baku with two well-worked goals,” emails Kári Tulinius. “Now Icelandic eyes turn to Paris. If the French beat Ukraine, Iceland gets to the playoffs if they get a draw against Ukraine. As an Icelander, I never expect us to qualify for anything, but the side seams to be peaking at just the right time.”
This was Ed’s take on Group I. Norway are now six points clear of Italy …
Norway lead Italy by three points and no one else can finish in the top two. A win for Norway at home to Estonia on Thursday would in effect secure qualification before they travel to San Siro on Sunday because the astonishing 29 goals plundered by Erling Haaland and co from six matches have given the team a frankly ridiculous goal difference of +26, 16 ahead of Italy. Gennaro Gattuso’s side need maximum points from their games, which start in Moldova on Thursday, and a Norway slip against Estonia to avoid the playoff for which they appear destined as they try to qualify for a first World Cup since 2014.
Final scores in Uefa qualifying thus far today.
Armenia 0-1 Hungary
Azerbaijan 0-2 Iceland
Norway 4-1 Estonia
Alexander Sorloth and Erling Haaland both scored twice in Norway’s win.
And here is Ed Aarons’ take on Group D:
France have a playoff in the bag courtesy of the Nations League and will qualify in top spot if they beat Ukraine in Paris on Thursday. Even a draw would leave France set fair going into their final game in Azerbaijan given they lead Ukraine by three points and have a goal difference superior by five. An Iceland win in Baku on Thursday coupled with a France victory over Ukraine would move Iceland second on goal difference before they face Ukraine on Sunday in Warsaw. Azerbaijan’s very slim hopes of sneaking into a playoff require victories over Iceland and France and sufficiently improving their -9 goal difference.
Full-time: Armenia 0-1 Hungary
Ireland need a result of some sort in Dublin, then. Lose and they’re out.
Into stoppage time in Yerevan … it was Barnabas Varga who got the goal for Hungary.
Andorra v Albania teams
Andorra: Ruiz, Borra, Llovera, Olivera, San Nicolas, Rodrigo Tapia, Babot, de las Heras, Cervos, Rosas, Lopez. Substitutes: Antoni Gomes, Pires, Gomes, Rebes, De Pablos, Remolins, Ferreira, Ricard Fernandez, Moreno, Rubio, Teixeira, Marc Garcia.
Albania: Strakosha, Hysaj, Djimsiti, Ajeti, Mitaj, Shehu, Asllani, Laci, Broja, Manaj, Hoxha. Substitutes: Balliu, Ismajli, Ramadani, Aliji, Medon Berisha, Uzuni, Daku, Dajsinani, Tuci, Simoni, Asani, Bajrami.
Referee: Horatiu Fesnic (Romania)
Ed Aarons has been busy looking at the permutations across all the Uefa qualifying groups:
And as for Group F:
An injury-time equaliser by Hungary’s Dominik Szoboszlai in Lisbon last month has made Portugal wait a little longer to book their place. Two points from games in the Republic of Ireland on Thursday and at home to Armenia on Sunday would guarantee top spot. Hungary, who are second, one point ahead of Ireland, would secure a playoff on Thursday if they win in Armenia and Ireland lose to Portugal. Otherwise the playoff spot may come down to Hungary’s game against Ireland in Budapest on Sunday.
Moldova v Italy teams
Moldova: Kozhukhar, Stefan, Craciun, Dumbravanu, Reabciuk, Perciun, Rata, Ionita, Revenco, Nicolaescu, Postolachi. Substitutes: Platica, Fratea, Forov, Damascan, Cucos, Caimacov, Bors, Bogaciuc, Bitca, Avram, Bodisteanu, Timbur.
Italy: Vicario, Bellanova, Mancini, Buongiorno, Cambiaso, Cristante, Tonali, Orsolini, Raspadori, Zaccagni, Scamacca. Substitutes: Bastoni, Politano, Locatelli, Retegui, Gabbia, Frattesi, Esposito, Ricci, Donnarumma, Dimarco, Di Lorenzo, Carnesecchi.
Referee: Mykola Balakin (Ukraine)
As it stands, with Hungary winning 1-0 in Armenia, Republic of Ireland would need at least a point tonight to stay in with a mathematical chance.
They would be four points behind if they lose and three behind with a draw. A win tonight would set up a winner-takes-all clash in Budapest against Hungary on Sunday.
Preamble
France can qualify for next year’s Donald Trump-themed World Cup in North America by beating Ukraine at Parc des Princes in fashionable Paris tonight, while Portugal can do the same if they defeat Republic of Ireland at fortress Aviva in Dublin.
It looks like Ireland, on the other hand, need to beat the visitors to stay in the hunt for second place in Group F with Hungary currently winning 1-0 in Armenia. Last month, Ireland suffered a late loss to tonight’s opponents on the continent, so the pressure is very much on. Azerbaijan v Iceland, Armenia v Hungary, Norway v Estonia, Moldova v Italy and Andorra v Albania are also on tonight’s menu, along with the small matter of England v Serbia at Wembley. (Super Tommy Tuchel’s team are already qualified, in case you didn’t know.)
The France v Ukraine and Ireland v Portugal fixtures, in Group D and Group F respectively, are the ones we’ll mainly focus on here. I just need to check down the back of the sofa to scrape together the pay-per-view match fees (£2.49 a pop on Amazon Prime Video) and we’ll be ready to go. Team news, previews, news and other good things coming up.
Kick-offs: 7.45pm UK time
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