Troy Parrott double enough for famous win
France beat Ukraine 4-0 to book spot for 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off as Troy Parrott fired the Republic of Ireland to a sensational 2-0 victory against Portugal to set up a qualifying showdown with Hungary.
The 40-year-old Portugal captain was dismissed for elbowing defender Dara O’Shea off the ball with a little more than 30 minutes remaining at the Aviva Stadium, but Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men were already well on their way to a win over the side ranked fifth in the world.
AZ Alkmaar striker Parrott’s first-half double ultimately did the damage, but it was a collective performance of true character which laid the foundation for a victory which means a repeat in Budapest on Sunday would clinch runners-up spot in Group F and a chance to make it to next summer’s finals.
