Lisbon, Portugal – Heimir Hallgrimsson was visibly heartbroken after the Republic of Ireland suffered a gut-wrenching 1-0 defeat to Portugal in their World Cup qualifier at the Estádio José Alvalade on Saturday night. A last-gasp header from Rúben Neves in the first minute of stoppage time shattered Irish hopes of securing a famous draw, after Caoimhín Kelleher had earlier saved a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo.
The late goal, which came after relentless Portuguese pressure, condemned Ireland to a painful defeat, leaving their chances of reaching the 2026 World Cup hanging by a thread. Hallgrimsson openly admitted the result was "painful, really painful and a heartbreaking result". He added, "Just being so close and ending up with nothing going back to Ireland is painful".
Ireland had adopted a defensive approach from the outset, aiming to frustrate the Group F leaders. The game plan appeared to be working, with Ireland limiting Portugal to few clear-cut chances in the first half. The Irish defense, well-organized and resolute, managed to keep the Portuguese attack at bay.
The pivotal moment arrived in the second half when Portugal was awarded a penalty after a shot struck Dara O'Shea's arm. Ronaldo, seeking his 142nd international goal, stepped up to take the spot-kick, but Kelleher produced a brilliant save with his foot to deny the Portuguese captain.
Kelleher's heroics ignited hopes of an Irish victory, but Portugal continued to press, and their persistence eventually paid off. In the first minute of added time, Francisco Trincao delivered a superb cross that was met by Neves, who headed home to break Irish hearts.
Hallgrimsson acknowledged the impact of fatigue on his players, stating, "It was in the end of the first half we saw a similar situation, once you get tired you give a little more time for the player on the ball and there is so much quality in this Portugal team, they will find the perfect pass and the perfect run. That is what happened". Despite the disappointment, Hallgrimsson praised his team's effort and work ethic. "I think what we planned to do, our game-plan, worked. Team effort, team-work were excellent. There was a lot of energy put into this match," he said.
The defeat leaves Ireland with just one point from their opening three Group F matches. They now face a must-win game against Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday night. However, they will be without key midfielder Josh Cullen due to suspension, making their quest for a play-off place even more challenging.
Despite the loss, Ireland can take some encouragement from their performance in Lisbon. Their defensive resilience and Kelleher's penalty save demonstrated their ability to compete against top-quality opposition. However, they will need to find a way to be more effective in attack if they are to secure the wins they need to revive their World Cup qualifying campaign. Portugal, on the other hand, maintained their perfect start to the campaign and sit atop Group F.
