Luck of the Irish? Must-Watch Goal Keeps Ireland’s World Cup Hopes Alive
Ireland forward Troy Parrott is having an unforgettable week, mixed with a bit of his country’s penchant for luck.
Parrott helped Ireland cap off a dramatic rally against Hungary in World Cup qualifying to keep his team’s hopes of a spot in next summer’s tournament.
Parrott’s late goal in the 3-2 win was his fifth in two games, allowing Ireland to leapfrog Hungary for second place in Group F of the European region (UEFA) qualifying round. Portugal subsequently won the group (thanks to a 9-1 win over Armenia) and booked one of Europe’s 12 direct spots for the World Cup.
But Ireland will now head to UEFA’s playoff round (composed of 16 other teams), where it will aim to be one of four additional European sides who’ll qualify for the World Cup in the summer.
Parrott struck both goals in the 2-0 win over Portugal last week and with Ireland trailing 2-1 going into the 80th minute at the Puskas Arena, he proved his country’s hero again.
He lifted the ball over Hungary goalkeeper Denes Dibusz to level the match at 2-2 and with the clock running down, he converted from close range for the winner deep into added time.
That led to incredible celebrations by both the Irish players and their Irish fans who had made the trip to the Hungarian capital of Sofia to watch an instant classic.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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