Portugal Thrashes Armenia 9-1, Palhinha Secures World Cup Spot
Joao Palhinha has now officially booked his place at the 2026 World Cup after Portugal delivered a sensational 9-1 victory over Armenia on Sunday afternoon. From the very start, it was clear that Portugal were determined to secure their spot at next summer's tournament. Despite an early shock when Renato Veiga’s opener was cancelled out by Eduard Spertsyan, the Portuguese quickly regained control and dominated the match. By halftime, they had raced into a 5-1 lead thanks to goals from Goncalo Ramos, a brace from Joao Neves, and a penalty converted by Bruno Fernandes.
The second half saw more fireworks as both Neves and Fernandes completed their hat-tricks, and substitute Francisco Conceicao added a ninth goal in injury time. This remarkable performance matched Portugal’s record for goals scored in a single match and marked their second-best result ever, just behind the 9-0 victory over Liechtenstein in 2023. Palhinha, although an unused substitute in Porto, witnessed his country secure qualification for a seventh consecutive World Cup.
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Meanwhile, Tottenham teammates Djed Spence and Guglielmo Vicario experienced very different outcomes in their international campaigns. Spence remained on the bench for England during their trip to Albania. The Three Lions, led by Harry Kane, secured a 2-0 win with Kane netting a late brace, completing a flawless qualifying campaign. England became the first European side this century to reach a major tournament with a 100 percent record and without conceding a single goal.
At the San Siro, Vicario’s Italy faced group leaders Norway. Already assured of a play-off spot, Italy still had a slim chance to qualify automatically if they managed an extraordinary nine-goal win. Francesco Esposito gave the Azzurri an early lead, but Norway turned the match around after the break. Goals from Antonio Nusa, two from Erling Haaland, and one from Jorgen Strand Larsen sealed a Norwegian victory and condemned Italy to the play-off rounds in March.
In other international action, Uruguay’s Rodrigo Bentancur earned his 72nd cap as his team played out a goalless friendly against one of the 2026 World Cup host nations, Mexico. Bentancur played the full 90 minutes in Torreón, adding another milestone to his impressive international career.
Overall, it was a weekend full of drama and celebration for some, heartbreak for others, and a clear reminder that the road to the World Cup is always thrilling. Portugal’s record-breaking performance and Palhinha’s secured spot were undoubtedly the highlights of the day.
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