Cancelo eyes bringing Portugal's 'curse' to an end

Injury kept Cancelo out of last month’s meeting with Ireland but he’s likely to deputise for Roberto Martinez’s latest casualty Nuno Mendes at left-back.

Matt Doherty of the Republic of Ireland in action against João Cancelo of Portugal. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

A mismatch on paper at least, central to Portugal’s motivation for winning on Thursday is ending what João Cancelo derides as the curse of Dublin.

Ireland hold the upper hand in the home record books against the aristocrats, who’ve failed to win at Lansdowne Road since a friendly in 1996.