World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Ronaldo Shines, Hungary Strikes Late

Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name further into football history by scoring his 40th and 41st World Cup qualifying goals, but Portugal were denied early qualification for the 2026 World Cup after a dramatic 2-2 draw against Hungary in Lisbon.

Ronaldo’s brace had put Portugal on the cusp of securing their spot in next year’s finals, only for Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai to score a stoppage-time equaliser, halting the celebrations.

Portugal, Group F leaders, now face crucial matches against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin and Hungary next month to confirm their qualification.

In Dublin, the Republic of Ireland kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over 10-man Armenia at the Aviva Stadium. Evan Ferguson’s 70th-minute header sealed Ireland’s first Group F win, capitalising on Armenia’s Tigran Barseghyan’s dismissal for a headbutt on Finn Azaz.

• Cristiano Ronaldo Scores 40th & 41st WC Qualifying Goals as Portugal Draw with Hungary
• World Cup 2026 Qualifiers Update: Ireland, Italy, Serbia, and Turkey Keep Hopes Alive
• Portugal’s Early Qualification Halted by Szoboszlai Stoppage-Time Equaliser Against Hungary

Head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, who had prioritised victory over performance, saw his side deliver just enough to keep their dream alive ahead of daunting fixtures against Portugal and Hungary.

Elsewhere, Italy bolstered their chances of automatic qualification in Group I with a 3-0 win over Israel in Udine. Mateo Retegui’s brace and a late Gianluca Mancini header secured the points, though Italy trail leaders Norway by three points ahead of their pivotal clash next month. Estonia and Moldova played out a 1-1 draw in the group’s lower ranks.

In Group K, England have already clinched top spot, but Serbia remain in contention for second place after a 3-1 victory over Andorra, with Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic among the scorers. Serbia are one point behind Albania in the race for the runners-up spot.

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Turkey, meanwhile, maintained pressure on Group E leaders Spain with a 4-1 thrashing of Georgia, powered by Merih Demiral’s double and goals from Kenan Yildiz and Yunus Akgun. The race for World Cup 2026 qualification intensifies as crucial matches loom.