"There's no discounting the very real possibility that the best, coolest, most emotionally affecting moment of the entire soccer season has already happened. The moment in question came in a match contested by two solid but unexceptional teams, both of which are entirely devoid of anything close to a superstar, pitted in a duel for an important but hardly decisive prize. I'm certain there have been and will be hundreds"
"Ireland came into the present international break with a daunting but straightforward task: Sitting in third place in their World Cup qualification group, without any realistic hopes of topping the group and earning a direct spot in next summer's tournament, the Irish had to win both of their two remaining games in order to make it to the UEFA qualification playoffs, where two single-leg knockout games would determine their World Cup destiny."
"The first challenge was arguably the more daunting one, as Ireland hosted Portugal, a team with realistic hopes of winning the whole thing next summer. For the hosts, the game was a must-not-lose affair. Powered by a brace from promising young striker Troy Parrott, and aided by a petulant Cristiano Ronaldo elbow that got him sent off an hour into the match, the Irish picked up the three crucial points."
Ireland entered the international break in third place in their World Cup qualifying group, needing wins in both remaining matches to reach the UEFA qualification playoffs. Both remaining opponents were the group's two best teams, Portugal and Hungary. Ireland beat Portugal at home, powered by a Troy Parrott brace and aided by Cristiano Ronaldo's red card, securing three crucial points. That victory set up a must-win match against Hungary to obtain playoff qualification. The Hungary match paired two solid, unexceptional sides without superstars and carried outsized emotional resonance because of its proximity to the World Cup.
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