Euro 2016: Fabio Coentrao on target for Portugal as Shane Long salvages Ireland draw

Fabio Coentrao slots home the decisive goal in Portugal's win over Serbia. Patricia de Melo Moreira / AFP

Real Madrid’s Fabio Coentrao scored the winning goal as Portugal beat Serbia 2-1 in Lisbon on Sunday to move top of Euro 2016 qualifying Group I.

Coentrao arrived at the back post to convert a low ball across the box from Joao Moutinho to decide the encounter at the Estadio da Luz after Nemanja Matic had cancelled out Ricardo Carvalho’s early opener with a spectacular strike.

Cristiano Ronaldo captained the home side but in the absence of another Real Madrid star, central defender Pepe, the veteran Carvalho played alongside Bruno Alves in the heart of the back four.

And the 36-year-old Monaco man got the breakthrough 10 minutes in, heading past Vladimir Stojkovic from a Coentrao cross to score his first international goal in eight years after Dusan Basta had needlessly given away a corner.

Serbia, playing their first competitive game under Radovan Curcic and struggling in the section, drew level from a corner of their own in the 61st minute.

Aleksandar Kolarov’s ball in from the left was helped on by Radosav Petrovic and Chelsea midfielder Matic — back on the ground where he used to star for Benfica — connected with a stunning acrobatic overhead kick that left Rui Patricio helpless in goal.

But Serbia were only level for two minutes before Coentrao got Portugal’s winner, to the delight of the home fans in the crowd of more than 58,000.

Ireland salvage draw

Elsewhere, Shane Long was the hometown hero as his 90th minute goal in a 1-1 draw with Poland at Lansdowne Road on Sunday night kept Ireland’s Euro 2016 dreams alive.

It looked for so long as if Slawomir Peszko’s first-half goal would give Poland all three points and all but end Ireland’s ambitions of going to France next year.

But the hosts fought back from a poor first half performance to dominate the second, hitting the post twice before substitute Long’s late, late show gave them a deserved point.

It could be a key goal in Ireland’s Euro campaign, as Martin O’Neill’s side would have been six points off the pace had Poland matched Germany and Scotland, who also enjoyed Group D victories on Sunday.

Poland will be happy with a point, despite the late concession, given they remain unbeaten in the Group, and top of the table.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE