Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has urged Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg to stand firm against Cristiano Ronaldo when the two nations meet. Hallgrimsson believes Ronaldo unduly influenced the referee during their previous World Cup qualifier in Portugal, where Ronaldo had a penalty saved. He hopes the home crowd at the Aviva Stadium will support the officials in their decision-making, rather than Ronaldo's attempts to influence them.
The previous encounter saw Portugal win 1-0 with a late header, after Ronaldo's penalty miss. This upcoming match is crucial for Ireland's World Cup qualifying hopes, as they are one point behind Hungary in the race for second place in Group F. A win for Portugal would secure them first place and a place in the finals. Ireland, ranked significantly lower than Portugal, will need a strategic and disciplined approach to challenge the visitors.
Defender Dara O'Shea expressed confidence in the Irish squad's ability to learn from past difficult matches. He acknowledged the importance of ... download the app to read more
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