Armenia shocked Ireland 2-1, increasing pressure on manager Hallgrímsson. Portugal edged Hungary 3-2, led by Ronaldo’s record-equalling goal. Erling Haaland scored five in Norway’s 11-1 win over Moldova. France beat Iceland 2-1, while Marmoush of Egypt sustained a knee injury.
The Republic of Ireland's hopes of reaching the World Cup suffered a significant blow as they were defeated 2-1 by Armenia in Yerevan. This loss puts manager Heimir Hallgrímsson under immense pressure, marking another setback after their previous Nations League defeat to the same opponent.
Armenia took the lead through a penalty from Eduard Spertsyan, a familiar tormentor for the Irish, having scored against them in previous encounters. Grant-Leon Ranos extended Armenia’s advantage early in the second half. While Evan Ferguson pulled a goal back for Ireland, they were unable to complete the comeback, leaving their qualification chances hanging by a thread.
Hallgrímsson acknowledged the criticism he faces, stating, "Yes of course, that’s the job of the coach. If they are not producing, then of course it’s always under question and it’s understandable now. I’m not naive. After this performance, of course I will take the blame for this." The defeat raises serious questions about Ireland's direction under his leadership.
In Group F's other match, Portugal secured a 3-2 victory against Hungary in Budapest. João Cancelo's late goal sealed the win after Hungary had equalized, placing Portugal in a commanding position at the top of the group. Portugal initially took the lead, courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty, which helped him equal Carlos Ruiz's record.
Earlier in the match, Hungary had broken the deadlock when Barnabas Varga converted a cross. Bernardo Silva swiftly responded for Portugal, leveling the score. Ronaldo then converted his penalty to put Portugal ahead, before Varga equalized again late in the game. Cancelo's decisive strike ensured Portugal claimed all three points.
The standout performance of the night came from Erling Haaland, who scored an incredible five goals as Norway demolished Moldova 11-1 in Oslo. Haaland’s dominant display reaffirmed his status as one of the world's top strikers. The Manchester City forward completed his fifth international hat-trick before the first half ended, netting three goals between the 11th and 43rd minutes. He added two more goals in the second half, bringing his international tally to 48 goals in 45 appearances.
Adding to Moldova's misery, Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard scored four goals despite coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute. Goals from Felix Horn Myhre and Martin Ødegaard further contributed to Norway’s resounding victory. Moldova's only goal was a consolation own goal scored by Leo Østigard.
Elsewhere, France overcame Iceland with a 2-1 victory in Group D, maintaining their perfect record. Kylian Mbappé scored a penalty and assisted Bradley Barcola’s goal, securing the win for France after Iceland took an early lead. Despite Aurélien Tchouaméni's late red card, France held on to win. Michael Olise's mistake led to Andri Lucas Gudjohnsen's goal.
In other news, Manchester City's Omar Marmoush suffered a knee ligament injury during Egypt’s 0-0 draw against Burkina Faso in their World Cup qualifier. Meanwhile, Albania defeated Latvia 1-0 in Group K, with Kristjan Asllani converting a penalty.