No goals and few clear chances but nearly 50,000
Irish spectators left the stadium satisfied after watching their team give as good as they got against a team who will be among the favourites if they reach next year’s
World Cup. Portugal will do that as winners of Group A if they avoid defeat to Serbia on Sunday. But they were grateful to depart from
Dublin with a point after being flustered by Stephen Kenny’s bright Irish team, who spent the final 10 minutes pressing for victory after Pepe was sent off for a second bookable offence.
![Republic of Ireland impress with draw as Portugal’s Pepe is sent off](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/83b34bb3486cf2454a91c323821d216cdc75e9dd/0_56_5014_3009/master/5014.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=f6ff573e9ed858cdbfab6feb1e2ba9ff)
“We’re proud of how the team played against one of the best teams in the world but we’re a little disappointed not to have won it,” said Shane Duffy, whose performance in the heart of Ireland’s back three helped to keep
Cristiano Ronaldo off the score sheet.