Cristiano Ronaldo set a new record for World Cup qualifying goals on Tuesday, but Portugal were denied early passage to next year’s finals after a late Hungary equaliser forced a 2-2 draw in Lisbon.
Two goals from the Portugal captain – the first his 40th in World Cup qualifying to surpass the previous mark of former Guatemala striker Carlos Ruiz – looked to have sealed top spot in Group F and automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America. But Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai struck deep into injury time to rescue a point for Hungary and delay Roberto Martínez’s side’s celebrations.
Ronaldo’s first came midway through the opening half, a trademark finish lashed into the roof of the net after fine work down the right from Bernardo Silva. The 39-year-old doubled the lead shortly after the restart, reacting quickest to nod home from close range and extend his tally to 130 goals for Portugal.
Hungary, seeking their first World Cup appearance since 1986, refused to fold. Roland Sallai halved the deficit with 15 minutes to play before Szoboszlai curled in a superb free kick in stoppage time to stun the hosts.
The result leaves Portugal five points clear at the top of Group F with two games remaining, while Ireland’s 1-0 win over Armenia moved them within touching distance of second place. Adam Idah’s second-half header proved decisive in Dublin after the visitors had Artak Dashyan sent off for a reckless challenge.
In Group E, Spain continued their imperious form with a 4-0 win over Bulgaria in Valladolid to maintain a perfect record from four matches, and still without conceding a goal. Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino continued his remarkable scoring run with two headers, taking his tally to six goals in four qualifiers. An Atanas Chernev own goal and a late Mikel Oyarzabal penalty sealed another comfortable victory for Luis de la Fuente’s European champions.
Turkey remain three points behind in second after a 4-1 win over Georgia in Trabzon, with Merih Demiral scoring twice and Kenan Yildiz and Yunus Akgun also on target.
In Udine, Italy’s 3-0 victory over Israel was overshadowed by protests outside the Bluenergy Stadium, where demonstrators clashed with police ahead of the Group I fixture. Thousands marched peacefully through the city before kick-off, condemning the decision to allow Israel’s participation amid the continuing conflict in Gaza.
Inside the stadium, Italy took a step closer to ending their World Cup exile. Having missed the past two tournaments, the Azzurri are now guaranteed at least second place after goals from Mateo Retegui – a penalty and a thunderous strike from distance – and a late Gianluca Mancini header.
The win leaves Luciano Spalletti’s side three points behind leaders Norway with two games to play, though the Scandinavians retain a superior goal difference ahead of their meeting next month. Elsewhere in the group, Estonia and Moldova shared a 1-1 draw.
England, meanwhile, became the latest European nation to seal qualification, brushing aside Latvia 5-0 in Riga to maintain their perfect record. Anthony Gordon opened the scoring before Harry Kane added two more, including a penalty, to make it 3-0 at the interval. A Maksims Tonisevs own goal and Eberechi Eze’s late strike completed the rout, ensuring Thomas Tuchel’s side top Group K with two games to spare.
“It comes rarely that you qualify for a World Cup, so the mood is very, very good,” said Tuchel.
Serbia remain locked in a battle with Albania for the runners-up spot after coming from behind to beat Andorra 3-1, with Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic both on target.
