Despite Cristiano Ronaldo missing a penalty, Ruben Neves’s late goal secured a victory for Portugal over Ireland.
Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to capitalize on a penalty opportunity that could have brought him closer to his milestone of 1,000 career goals, as he missed a spot-kick against Ireland.
Although Ronaldo’s miss put Portugal’s flawless World Cup qualifying record at risk, midfielder Ruben Neves stepped up during first-half injury time to net the winning goal, ensuring Robert Martinez’s team maintained their perfect start with three wins from three matches.
Match Overview
From the outset, Portugal dominated possession and dictated the pace, frequently testing Ireland’s defense through well-placed crosses, quick switches of play, and probing runs. However, clear scoring opportunities were limited due to Ireland’s disciplined defensive setup, which rarely left gaps for Portugal to exploit.
In the second half, Portugal earned a penalty after Diogo Leite handled the ball inside the penalty area following a chaotic corner kick situation.
Ronaldo, aiming to add to his international goal tally, took the penalty but was denied by a sharp save from Caoimhín Kelleher, who dived low to his right and maintained composure to keep the ball out.
As the game entered stoppage time, Portugal increased their attacking pressure. Trincão delivered a precise cross from the left flank, allowing Ruben Neves to find space between defenders and power a decisive header into the net in the 91st minute, clinching the victory.
Ronaldo’s Missed Opportunity to Break Records
Ronaldo currently holds the men’s international record with 141 goals for Portugal. Scoring the penalty would have elevated his tally to 142.
Across his entire professional career, Ronaldo has amassed 946 official goals for club and country combined. Had he converted the penalty, his total would have reached 947, leaving him 53 goals short of the 1,000-goal milestone. Instead, he remains 54 goals away from this historic achievement.