BUDAPEST: A 96th-minute Troy Parrott goal to complete his hat-trick booked Ireland a spot in the playoffs for next year’s World Cup with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over their nearest Group F rivals Hungary in a must-win game in Budapest.

Ukraine also earned a playoff right from Group D by winning in Poland.

Higher-ranked Hungary just needed a draw to secure second place and led 2-1 at halftime thanks to goals from Daniel Lukacs and Barnabas Varga but Parrott’s second goal of the night on 80 minutes and last-gasp winner ended the hosts’ hopes.

Parrott had described his double in Thursday’s shock 2-0 win over Portugal that set up the dramatic finale as the best night of his life and was in tears after Sunday topped that.

He said: “This is why we love football because things like this can happen. This is the first time I’ve cried in years. It’s a fairytale, you can’t even dream about something like that.”

Portugal had finished top of Group F on 13 points after a 9-1 win over bottom-placed Armenia, three points clear of the Irish.

Ukraine, too

Ukraine’s Oleksandr Zubkov powered home a header late in the second half and Oleksii Hutsuliak added a second goal to also book their spot in the playoffs as they beat Group D rivals Iceland 2-0 in Warsaw.

The two sides were level on points heading into the match but Ukraine needed the win to earn second spot behind group winners France, with Iceland boasting a better goal difference.

Midfielder Zubkov delivered with his first international goal for three years in the 83rd minute and Hutsuliak’s stoppage-time effort made the result safe.

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