Republic of Eire v Portugal, France v Ukraine, and extra: World Cup 2026 qualifying – dwell | World Cup 2026 qualifiers

“In mitigation on the sorry state of soccer today, it's not ALL Rory Delapitation and set-pieces,” emails Justin Kavanagh. “We've simply seen a rabona and a sombrero in Paris, each tried by flashy French aptitude boys. Thoughts you, neither got here off! And it's nonetheless nil-nil.”

Oh, right here's one other one from Justin …

“So if the inevitable occurs, and Ronaldo scores twice within the second half, will the Portuguese obtain Parrotty? Sorry, I will get my coat now …”

Scratch that! The objective stands. It's 2-0 to Republic of Eire!

Thoughts you, the VAR is taking a look, and apparently, there's a potential crimson card for somebody, however I don't know who.

It's one other uncomplicated ball excessive. The Portuguese defence can't get set, Parrott cuts inside after which slides a wonderful shot to the close to submit, that kisses the upright on its manner in. The Aviva is in raptures!

Growth! It's two.

44 min: All palms on deck for Republic of Eire now. Photographs are flying in from all angles. However Portugal can't discover a manner by means of. Martinez strokes his chin on the sidelines.

41 min: João Félix tries a little bit of trickery within the Irish penalty space. He falls over.

Republic of Eire's no-nonsense strategy is working to date.

39 min: Now there's a hell of a scramble within the Eire space. They clear for a nook ultimately. From the set-piece that's taken quick, 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 across the final defender. He's on the lookout for the far nook, and hits the far submit! So unfortunate. Nice effort. The Portuguese central defenders are trying a bit all around the store.

35 min: Extra defending to do for Portugal: this time Jake O'Brien launches an extended throw into the field and causes a measure of panic.

Moldova 0-0 Italy: If the Azzurri don't win tonight, then Norway are assured to win Group I. Italy would go into the playoffs.

Bukayo Saka has put England 1-0 up in opposition to Serbia.

Stalemate in Paris, nonetheless.

28 min: Portugal have been dominant early doorways, however Eire have compelled their manner again into this, and certainly taken the lead, with their uncompromisingly direct type. The World Cup dream remains to be on!

25 min: Ruben Neves cracks a low shot from distance, straight on the keeper. Kelleher is the same as it.

It's nil-nil in London, Paris, Chisinau and Encamp (Andorra).

Goalless attracts actually are all the fad, together with lengthy throws and set-pieces. Though I'm positive there will likely be some targets in these matches, as properly.

23 min: “Parrott's objective an actual sickener for Portugal … properly, somebody needed to,” emails Justin Kavanagh.

Get out.

France are knocking on the door in Paris. Mbappé shoots low and arduous and forces Anatoliy Trubin into a good save to his left.

20 min: Eire are on the rampage! Chiedozie Ogbene darts down the appropriate and cuts again for Azaz, who shoots straight at Costa.

There was an enormous shout for a penalty moments earlier than, for a foul on Parrott of AZ Alkmaar, however Eire gained a nook anyway. It was clipped to the far submit, Liam Scales despatched an ideal header again throughout the six-yard field, and Parrott was there to tuck it into the online from point-blank vary!

It's there!

15 min: Eire have had a few vivid moments within the final 5 minutes, together with Troy Parrott racing down the appropriate wing.

Now, the goalie Diogo Costa will get himself in a large number, and there are huge shouts for a penalty!

In Paris, France are pushing Ukraine again and passing the ball round properly. Olise is getting his foot on the ball. Rayan Cherki blasts a shot excessive and large, whereas Kylian Mbappé seems to be to get on the top of an extended ball excessive.

12 min: Portugal have had 82% possession. #Dominant

10 min: On the different finish, Ronaldo belts a shot excessive over the bar from an angle. All 5 of the 7.45pm kick-offs are nil-nil.

9 min: Eire go route one: Kelleher belts it downfield for Finn Azaz, who tries to tuck a ball inside, however it's minimize 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 Eire wall.

6 min: Portugal are throughout Eire. Vitinha hits from the sting of the field. Josh Cullen penalised for handball. A free-kick, nearly useless centre, simply exterior the field. Ronaldo will hit it.

“It may be that Seamus Coleman doesn't characteristic a lot for Everton anymore, however this Everton fan is blissful to see each him and Jake O'Brien beginning tonight,” emails Matt Burtz. “I'm nonetheless of the opinion that Coleman has the very best ball management expertise of any Everton participant during the last 10+ years.”

2 min: Ronaldo tries a cheeky backheel goalwards after a spell of Portugal possession. It's a snug save for Caoimhin Kelleher. Eire's plan appears to be to take a seat again and absorb strain, which can be a harmful sport in opposition to an attacking lineup of this high quality.

Roberto Martínez shakes palms with the Eire administration crew, together with John O'Shea, and the gaffer Heimir Hallgrimsson. We're able to go in Dublin.

Who remembers Portugal v Eire in qualifying for Euro 1996, although?

The groups are out on the pitch! Portugal, as you noticed from the groups beneath, have a promising younger lad referred to as Cristiano Ronaldo enjoying for them.

The DJ on the Aviva has simply dropped this traditional.

Jamaica will tackle Trinidad & Tobago at midnight UK time in CONCACAF third-round, Group B. Billy Munday has written about Steve McClaren's World Cup bid within the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa:

Steve McClaren has spoken of a willpower to place “a smile on individuals's faces” in Jamaica. Over the following six days the previous England supervisor has a golden likelihood to take action by guiding Jamaica to the World Cup after they play for the primary time since Hurricane Melissa.

The devastating class 5 storm that made landfall on the island on 28 October is thought to have killed 45 individuals there and displaced tens of 1000's of households, with lots of nonetheless in emergency shelters. The prime minister, Andrew Holness, stated it had precipitated harm to properties and key infrastructure roughly equal to the worth of a 3rd of the nation's gross home product.

Parking a automobile goes to be properly costly on the World Cup, it says right here:

The irrepressible Scott Murray has England v Serbia over right here:

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 Eire (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 wanted, beating Azerbaijan in Baku with two well-worked targets,” emails Kári Tulinius. “Now Icelandic eyes flip to Paris. If the French beat Ukraine, Iceland will get to the playoffs in the event that they get a draw in opposition to Ukraine. As an Icelander, I by no means count on us to qualify for something, however the facet seams to be peaking at simply the appropriate time.”

This was Ed's tackle Group I. Norway are actually six factors away from Italy …

Norway lead Italy by three factors and nobody else can end within the high two. A win for Norway at house to Estonia on Thursday would in impact safe qualification earlier than they journey to San Siro on Sunday as a result of the astonishing 29 targets plundered by Erling Haaland and co from six matches have given the crew a frankly ridiculous objective distinction of +26, 16 forward of Italy. Gennaro Gattuso's facet want most factors from their video games, which begin in Moldova on Thursday, and a Norway slip in opposition to Estonia to keep away from the playoff for which they seem destined as they attempt to qualify for a primary World Cup since 2014.

Remaining scores in Uefa qualifying so far at present.

Armenia 0-1 Hungary
Azerbaijan 0-2 Iceland
Norway 4-1 Estonia

Alexander Sorloth and Erling Haaland each scored twice in Norway's win.

And right here is Ed Aarons' take on Group D:

France have a playoff within the bag courtesy of the Nations League and can qualify in high spot in the event that they beat Ukraine in Paris on Thursday. Even a draw would go away France set truthful going into their remaining sport in Azerbaijan given they lead Ukraine by three factors and have a objective distinction superior by 5. An Iceland win in Baku on Thursday coupled with a France victory over Ukraine would transfer Iceland second on objective distinction earlier than they face Ukraine on Sunday in Warsaw. Azerbaijan's very slim hopes of sneaking right into a playoff require victories over Iceland and France and sufficiently enhancing their -9 objective distinction.

Eire want a results of some type in Dublin, then. Lose they usually're out.

Into stoppage time in Yerevan … it was Barnabas Varga who acquired the objective for Hungary.

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 trying on the permutations throughout all of the Uefa qualifying teams:

And as for Group F:

An injury-time equaliser by Hungary's Dominik Szoboszlai in Lisbon final month has made Portugal wait a bit longer to e book their place. Two factors from video games within the Republic of Eire on Thursday and at house to Armenia on Sunday would assure high spot. Hungary, who're second, one level forward of Eire, would safe a playoff on Thursday in the event that they win in Armenia and Eire lose to Portugal. In any other case the playoff spot might come right down to Hungary's sport in opposition to Eire in Budapest on Sunday.

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)

Because it stands, with Hungary profitable 1-0 in Armenia, Republic of Eire would want at the least some extent tonight to remain in with a mathematical likelihood.

They'd be 4 factors behind in the event that they lose and three behind with a draw. A win tonight would arrange a winner-takes-all conflict in Budapest in opposition to Hungary on Sunday.

France can qualify for subsequent yr's Donald Trump-themed World Cup in North America by beating Ukraine at Parc des Princes in trendy Paris tonight, whereas Portugal can do the identical in the event that they defeat Republic of Eire at fortress Aviva in Dublin.

It seems to be like Eire, however, must beat the guests to remain within the hunt for second place in Group F with Hungary at the moment profitable 1-0 in Armenia. Final month, Eire suffered a late loss to tonight's opponents on the continent, so the strain could be very a lot on. Azerbaijan v Iceland, Armenia v Hungary, Norway v Estonia, Moldova v Italy and Andorra v Albania are additionally on tonight's menu, together with the small matter of England v Serbia at Wembley. (Tremendous Tommy Tuchel's crew are already certified, in case you didn't know.)

The France v Ukraine and Eire v Portugal fixtures, in Group D and Group F respectively, are those we'll primarily deal with right here. I simply must examine down the again of the couch to scrape collectively the pay-per-view match charges (£2.49 a pop on Amazon Prime Video) and we'll be able to go. Staff information, previews, information and different good issues arising.

Kick-offs: 7.45pm UK time