Soccer: Skippers score and Ireland share spoils

Ireland 1, Portugal 1 (full-time)

Ireland somehow survived moments of sheer desperation and emerged with a point from their World Cup Qualifier against Portugal at Lansdowne Road.

Respective skippers Roy Keane and Luis Figo scored the only goals of the game.

Ireland were left reeling after a promising start in which Keane, Niall Quinn and

Stephen Carr all had on-target efforts and held out heroically to the interval.

The opening 15 minutes produced a string of free-kicks against both sides and when Figo ripped one in from 30 yards out on the left it just cleared Given’s stretching grasp but also the crossbar.

Ireland showed signs of settling into a pattern, feeding balls into Quinn down the middle and angled deliveries for Robbie Keane to get out wide.

A penetrating run by Carr on the Irish right was only just denied but when play moved swiftly to the other end Pedro Barbosa went down in the box over Carr’s challenge after getting on the end of a neat link between Rui Costa and Figo.

Danish referee Erik Fisker summarily dismissed penalty claims amid derisive jeers from the home crowd who clearly believed Barbosa dived.

But the official then awarded a free kick 25 yards out when Barbosa tumbled over Dunne seconds later.

Figo’s shot crashed into the wall but from the resulting corner Given had to hang on grimly to a swirling effort by Figo just under the crossbar.

And soon after Roy Keane had seen an opportunist header blocked at the other end, Given had to dive at Rui Costa’s feet as the midfielder slipped clean through only to slightly overrun the ball.

The Republic came right under the cosh from Portugal’s slick one-touch passing and although Staunton held off a brilliant advance by Pauleta, the ball ran to Rui Costa who crashed a blistering effort against a post - and then put the rebound tamely into the arms of the fallen Given.

It was a major escape in the 28th minute and there was another four minutes later when Given plunged to his right to claw away a cracking effort by Pauleta.

Ireland were struggling to contain the electric runs of Figo, Pauleta and especially Rui Costa. And Dunne made a vital interception when Barbosa came dribbling through to put in a dangerous low ball.

There was more trouble when Staunton headed a deep pass from Figo straight to Rui Costa who ran on to set-up Pauleta who swept the ball over the bar from 10 yards in the 38th minute with the goal yawning in front of him.

The drama heightened when Figo was carried off on a stretcher two minutes later, clutching his shoulder after Mark Kinsella’s challenge.

Suddenly Portugal came under pressure as their 10 men faced quickfire crosses from Quinn and Kevin Kilbane but they battled to ride the storm as Figo returned to the field amid a storm of jeers.

Two minutes of injury-time were played in the first-half, during which Roy Keane was booked.

To add to Mick McCarthy's half-time woes, Keane now misses Wednesday's match against Estonia.

It came as a surprise in the second-half when Robbie Keane was taken off just after the hour, but substitute Damien Duff made an immediate impact.

His strong running put Ireland in charge but it was skipper Roy Keane who grabbed the goal which put them in front after 66 minutes.

It was devastatingly simple and slightly fortunate as Gary Kelly’s throw-in reached his captain in the centre of the area and his shot appeared to brush off Litos and a post before going in.

However, Ireland's joy was short-lived as Real Madrid man Figo struck from a cross by substitute Joao Pinto on 79 minutes.

The draw means that Ireland remain on top of the table but Portugal, who are in second place, have a game in hand.