Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo will not participate in the national team’s final 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Armenia due to a red card, Armenpress reports.
In the penultimate round, Portugal faced Ireland away and lost 2-0. During the match, team captain Ronaldo was sent off with a red card.
Armenia’s national team suffered a 0-1 defeat to Hungary in their fifth qualifier match, ending their hopes of advancing to the next stage.
Before kickoff, members of the FAF supporters’ movement hung a banner in the East Stand reading, “Welcome to Armenia, where you can sleep safely” — a tribute to Gurgen Margaryan, the Armenian officer murdered with an axe by an Azerbaijani serviceman in Budapest.
Head coach Yeghishe Melikyan fielded six players from the Armenian Premier League in the starting lineup.
In the 26th minute, Edgar Sevikyan launched Armenia’s first real attack, though his shot went wide from a tough angle. Hungary opened the scoring in the 33rd minute through Barnabás Varga of Ferencváros, who headed the ball into the net following a flank attack.
In the second half, Armenia played more aggressively, creating more chances but failing to convert them into goals.
Hungary had also beaten Armenia 2-0 in their previous meeting.
Armenia, under Melikyan’s leadership, will play their final qualifier against Portugal on November 16 at Estádio do Dragão in Porto.
Armenia lineup: Henri Avagyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan (Karen Nalbandyan, 76’), Erik Piloyan, Sergey Muradyan, Styopa Mkrtchyan, Nair Tiknizyan, Karen Muradyan (Narek Aghasaryan, 90’), Eduard Spertsyan, Jirair Shaghoyan (Narek Grigoryan, 70’), Edgar Sevikyan (Araik Eloyan, 76’), Hrant-Leon Ranos (Artur Serobyan, 76’)
Group standings: Portugal – 10 pts, Hungary – 8 pts, Ireland – 7 pts, Armenia – 3 pts
