Republic of Ireland Prepares for Crucial World Cup Qualifier Against Portugal
FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Republic of Ireland vs. Portugal
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Thursday, 13 November Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Coverage: Live text commentary available on the BBC Sport website
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has emphasized that their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Portugal in Dublin will not resemble a fast-paced basketball match. In their previous encounter in Lisbon, the Irish team managed to frustrate Portugal until a last-minute goal from Ruben Neves secured a narrow 1-0 victory for the hosts.
Following that match, the Republic of Ireland secured a win against Armenia, placing them third in Group F, just one point behind Hungary, who are in second place. Hallgrimsson stated, “Our approach is not going to change. We need to play a certain style against Portugal, whether we require a win or a draw.”
He added, “We can’t go all-in against a team like Portugal. It’s not going to be a basketball match; we will take calculated risks if we need to score later in the game. We have a plan, and the players must be psychologically prepared for this encounter.”
The 58-year-old does not anticipate a significant change in Portugal’s tactics, despite their struggles to create scoring opportunities in their last meeting. Hallgrimsson noted that while Portugal might adjust their strategy, the Irish defense effectively managed to limit their threats, including a penalty save from Cristiano Ronaldo by goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
“They probably will tweak a few things, given that they didn’t create many goal-scoring chances against us,” Hallgrimsson continued. “They had some shots from outside the box and some crosses, but overall, we controlled their attacking play. We know we cannot defend against all their threats, so we need to concede some areas and prepare for what to expect.”
High Stakes Ahead
Hallgrimsson’s squad will likely need a favorable result against Portugal to maintain their hopes of finishing in second place in Group F, which would secure them a spot in the World Cup playoffs in March. Currently, they are one point behind Hungary, who will face Armenia before the Republic of Ireland's match against Portugal.
If Hungary wins that match, the Republic of Ireland will need to defeat Portugal to have a realistic chance of claiming the second spot, especially with their final fixture against Hungary in Budapest on Sunday. Hallgrimsson remarked, “This is probably the one that has the most riding on it, but we won’t truly understand the stakes until after the Armenian game against Hungary.”
“Then we can reassess the importance of this match. It could turn out to be irrelevant, but we anticipate needing at least a point from this game. Ultimately, it’s a World Cup opportunity at stake, and if that’s the case, yes, it is indeed the most important match.”