Ronaldo Sent Off as Ireland Upsets Portugal, Group F Blown Open

Portugal’s first setback in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers arrived in Dublin, where an energetic Republic of Ireland side punished a sluggish Seleção with a 2-0 victory. The upset cost Portugal their unbeaten run, reopened the race in Group F, and proved that Roberto Martínez’s public prediction of “an Ireland willing to take risks” was no empty compliment.

It was a night that rewrote several scripts at once: the hosts’ capacity for front-foot football, Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card, and Martínez’s willingness to reshuffle his lineup in an attempt to counter the Aviva Stadium’s noise.

Dublin’s surprise unravels the playbook

An autumn drizzle and the roar of nearly 50 000 spectators created an atmosphere the Irish manager had begged for. Within 27 minutes the pressure told when Troy Parrott drifted between Portugal’s centre-backs and beat Diogo Costa from close range, capitalising on a loose touch by João Cancelo. The second half brought more of the same: fearless high pressing, an aggressive second-ball hunt, and, on 76 minutes, Parrott’s low drive that made the scoreline unassailable.

Those two finishes were Ireland’s only shots on target, yet they came from a side determined to commit numbers forward. The visitors’ 63 % possession felt cosmetic; their most recognisable attacking patterns never found rhythm against a midfield that pinched space around Vitinha, while Bernardo Silva was forced wide to receive back-to-goal. The evening ended with Ronaldo’s straight red for an arm swung at Nathan Collins, symbolising a night in which frustration trumped fluency.

Martínez gambles and pays the price

Portugal’s coach surprised many by starting João Neves in place of the suspended Bruno Fernandes and restoring Cancelo to a hybrid left-back role designed to slide inward alongside Rúben Neves. The idea was to overload central lanes and free Diogo Dalot to advance. Instead, that asymmetry left the right flank exposed whenever possession changed hands, allowing Ireland’s overlapping Matt Doherty to drive attacks that isolated Cancelo repeatedly.

Martínez had warned in the pre-match briefing that he expected “with-ball bravery” from the Irish. He received it—and perhaps more tellingly, he failed to match it. By the time Gonçalo Inácio replaced the booked Rúben Dias at the hour, the balance was already tipping. Martínez later admitted the plan “asked too much of certain players”; his reference was read as a nod to João Félix, whose return to the XI produced neat combinations but no entries into the box.

Table tightened and arithmetic changed

Despite the defeat, Portugal remain top on 10 points after five matches, yet their goal difference advantage over Hungary shrank to plus-5. Ireland now sit third on 7 points, three clear of Armenia, whose own trip to the Luz in March could prove pivotal. What once looked like a procession for Portugal now resembles a three-team chase in which every away fixture matters.

Statistics underscore the warning. The Seleção still boast the best passing accuracy in European qualifying at 91 %, but they have conceded six goals, double the total shipped in the entire Euro 2024 preliminaries. Ireland, by contrast, have leaked only five despite facing Portugal twice, evidence that their compact 5-4-1 out of possession is safely bedded in.

Lessons for the Seleção — and for Portuguese fans

The Aviva defeat echoes the 2021 draw in Dublin that nearly derailed Portugal’s route to Qatar. Back then, Fernando Santos’s side recovered through a playoff; Martínez’s version must avoid a similar detour. That means rediscovering balance between their possession-dominant shape and the defensive transitions repeatedly exposed by Parrott’s runs.

For supporters at home, the setback is a jolt rather than a crisis. The squad’s spine remains experienced, and suspensions to Ronaldo and Cancelo will open the door for younger faces when Armenia visit Lisbon. Yet the evening in Dublin served a clear reminder: in a compressed qualifying calendar, there is limited margin for error, even for a team blessed with generational talent.