Cristiano Ronaldo achieved a historic milestone during the World Cup qualifiers, becoming the highest goal-scorer in qualifying history. However, his impressive performance was overshadowed when Portugal drew 2-2 with Hungary, denying them early qualification.
Portugal vs. Hungary: A Dramatic Draw
Ronaldo netted two goals in the match held in Lisbon. The first of these goals marked his 40th qualifying goal, setting a new record. Despite this, Hungary equalized in the dying minutes of the match, thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s strike during added time.
Upcoming Matches for Portugal
Portugal will have another opportunity to secure their place in the World Cup finals next month. They will face the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
Republic of Ireland’s Narrow Victory
The Irish team kept their World Cup aspirations alive with a slim 1-0 victory over Armenia. Evan Ferguson scored the decisive goal in the 70th minute after Armenia was reduced to ten men following Tigran Barseghyan’s red card.
- Republic of Ireland’s upcoming match: Portugal
- Ferguson’s impressive record: Four goals in five competitive internationals
Other Key Qualifying Matches
In other matches, Italy maintained their hopes for automatic qualification with a convincing 3-0 win against Israel. Mateo Retegui scored two goals, while Gianluca Mancini added another with a late header.
- Italy’s current standing: Three points behind Group I leaders Norway
- Moldova and Estonia played to a 1-1 draw in their matchup.
England clinched Group K, while Serbia is still fighting for second place. They earned a 3-1 victory against Andorra, with Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic finding the net.
Turkey’s Dominant Performance
In Group E, Turkey secured a decisive 4-1 win over Georgia. Merih Demiral contributed significantly with two goals, supported by Kenan Yildiz and Yunus Akgun.
- Turkey’s position: Three points behind leaders Spain
As the qualifiers progress, teams are racing against time to secure their spots in the upcoming World Cup finals.
