LIVE - Updated at 20:26
Clockwatch: All the goals and latest news from Thursday's Uefa qualifiers for Qatar 2022. Join Niall McVeigh for updates.
Sky have noted that Ireland have their own CR7 in Callum Robinson - he's certainly causing some problems, winning a corner after some touchline trickery. Nothing comes of it and the original CR7 (if not the original Ronaldo) almost picks out Guedes with a through ball.
Malta get on the scoresheet, thanks to a spectacular own goal from Marcelo Brozovic, who needlessly tries to clear acrobatically and succeeds only in sending the ball in off his own face. Shades of Chris Brass.
Spain have the goal they need to go top of Group B, Pablo Sarabia converting from the penalty spot.
Spain's penalty was awarded when Giannoulis' boot connected with the knee of Iñigo Martínez. The referee was advised to check the VAR monitor and after a second look, said thanks, but I'm sticking with it.
It's getting a little heated now, with Ogbene booked for raising an arm to Danilo - replays suggest the Portuguese player made a meal of it. Ronaldo is still muttering to himself, grass stuck to his face in the Sunday league style.
Back to Dublin, where Matt Doherty climbs awkwardly above Ronaldo and leaves him in a crumpled heap. Appeals for a penalty are waved away, and at the other end, Callum Robinson draws a save from Rui Patrício.
Time to drop the key event for every goal, I think - Germany have scored a couple more already. Leroy Sané and Marco Reus on target, and they lead Liechtenstein 4-0.
Meanwhile, Slovenia lead Slovakia 1-0, in a game with nothing more on the line than Slovian pride.
Some breathing space for Croatia, as Duje Caleta-Car grabs their second goal.
A second goal for Germany, Liechtenstein's Daniel Kaufmann with an own goal. Lads, you really aren't helping yourselves.
Drama in Ta'Qali as Andrej Kramaric fires in a second for Croatia - only for VAR to intervene. Then at the other end, Malta level! Or not, as it's correctly ruled offside. It stays 1-0 to the visitors.
Ronaldo is picked out by Gonçalo Guedes, but his low shot is blocked. At the other end, Rui Patrício has to race off his line to cover a defensive lapse. In other news, the audio commentary is slightly ahead of the pictures, which is making for an uncomfortable viewing experience.
This was a tough enough assignment with 11 men, but Jens Hofer's red card for a clumsy foul is extremely bad news for Liechtenstein. Ilkay Gundogan converts the spot-kick, and Germany are up and running.
Ronaldo slices through the home defence with that trademark shuffling gallop, but fires into the side netting from a narrow angle. In Athens, Spain are dominating possession without testing the Greek back line, which is altogether unsurprising.
It's been a lively start from the hosts, with hefty challenges flying in. Pepe clears under pressure from a corner, and Shane Duffy's header almost lands at the feet of Callum Robinson.
It didn't take long for Croatia to get ahead in Malta, where Ivan Perisic has struck after six minutes.
Hello. Nobody really remembers when they started but after just 17 international breaks this season, the European qualifiers for World Cup 2022 are approaching their end game. Sort of. There are still group games to be played, not to mention those pesky play-offs in March, but some things can be settled tonight.
Portugal need at least a draw in Dublin to edge top of Group A before their decisive meeting with Serbia on Sunday. Neighbours Spain might have to settle for the play-offs if they fail to beat Greece in Athens tonight. In Group H, Russia will qualify in the (admittedly unlikely) event that Croatia fail to beat Malta.
In Group J, Romania need a result against Iceland to take control of the play-off spot. Germany have already booked their flights to Qatar and can enjoy themselves in Wolfsburg with Liechtenstein the lambs to the slaughter. Here are the 7.45pm (GMT) kick-offs:
Group A Republic of Ireland v Portugal
Group B Greece v Spain
Group H Malta v Croatia; Slovakia v Slovenia
Group J Germany v Liechtenstein; Romania v Iceland
Before kick-off in Dublin, both sets of players take the knee, greeted by warm applause from the 52,000 spectators in attendance.
Joe Pearson provides a worrying update for Liverpool fans. "Mané's been taken off with 10 minutes to go in the first half! I hate internationals!"
National anthem time in Dublin, so here's a quick reminder of the reverse fixture, where Gavin Bazunu saved Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty, over for him to score two late goals, earning Portugal a 2-1 victory and a piece of history for himself:
Joe Pearson emails in, subject line "Togo v Senegal". You have my attention, Joe.
"Still 0-0 in Lomé, but it is pelting down with rain. Sadio Mané was involved in a clash of some kind and had to get his ribs wrapped on the sideline. Liverpool fan here, not liking that."
Senegal have already secured their place in the final African stage of qualifying, where 10 teams will play two-legged play-offs for five places. Mali won their group today, while South Africa are on course to edge out Ghana; they lead Zimbabwe 1-0.
Two more helpings of team news, including from Malta where Croatia need a win to keep Russia in sight. Anything less, and the 2018 hosts will be off to Qatar.
Malta: Bonello, Shaw, Agius, Pepe, Attard, Kristensen, Teuma, Camenzuli, Joseph Mbong, Montebello, Degabriele.
Subs: Caruana, Jake Grech, Micallef, Galea, Matthew Grech, Guillaumier, Vella, Pisani, Portelli, Satariano, Dimech, Paul Mbong.
Croatia: Grbic, Juranovic, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol, Sosa, Modric, Brozovic, Pasalic, Majer, Kramaric, Perisic.
Subs: Orsic, Stanisic, Livaja, Ivanusec, Vida, Lovren, Livakovic, Vlasic, Sluga, Jakic.
Romania: Nita, Ratiu, Chiriches, Nedelcearu, Tosca, Cicaldau, Marin, Stanciu, Hagi, Alibec, Tanase.
Subs: Manea, Vlad, Aioani, Puscas, Morutan, Burca, Rus, Ivan, Nedelcu, Maxim, Bancu, Man.
Iceland: Elias Olafsson, Sampsted, Brynjar Ingi Bjarnason, Gretarsson, Skulason, Johannesson, Birkir Bjarnason, Thordarson, Albert Gudmundsson, Sveinn Gudjohnsen, Thorsteinsson.
Subs: Runarsson, Helgason, Baldursson, Ellertsson, Andri Gudjohnsen, Traustason, Gunnarsson, Saevarsson, Thorarinsson, Isak Oli Olafsson, Leifsson, Thrandarson.
Speaking of which, Stephen Kenny's side are already out of contention in Group A, but the first full house at the Aviva Stadium since the Covid-19 pandemic began should be motivation enough. The manager has overseen a big improvement since that home defeat to Luxembourg.
"It is important that we bring calm to our play and bring a level of composure to our play," Kenny said. "We need to have that element of calm in our play even when we are pressed high ... we must have the courage to play out. We must not be fearful in that regard."
"Your movement off the ball has to be of a high level. You have to play with intelligence and try to have some sort of control on the game. Hopefully we can get a cutting edge after that. We have to earn the right to do that first."
"Hubris leaving João Cancelo and Rúben Dias on the bench," notes Niall O'Keeffe. "Ireland's night."
More team news, starting in Wolfsburg ...
Germany: Neuer, Hofmann, Kehrer, Rudiger, Gunter, Goretzka, Gundogan, Baku, Reus, Sane, Muller.
Subs: Raum, Nmecha, Neuhaus, Leno, Arnold, Ginter, Volland, Brandt, Trapp, Draxler, Tah.
Liechtenstein: Benjamin Buchel, Sandro Wolfinger, Malin, Kaufmann, Hofer, Goppel, Sele, Frommelt, Hasler, Salanovic, Yanik Frick.
Subs: Lo Russo, Noah Frick, Spirig, Kollmann, Yildiz, Meier, Kardesoglu, Armando Majer, Brandle, Martin Buchel, Fabio Wolfinger, Grunenfelder.
Slovakia: Rodak, Pekarik, Satka, Skriniar, Holubek, Lobotka, Mak, Bero, Hamsik, Haraslin, Almasi.
Subs: De Marco, Koscelnik, Strelec, Jirka, Suslov, Rusnak, Duda, Hromada, Dubravka, Bozenik, Kuciak.
Slovenia: Oblak, Stojanovic, Blazic, Mevlja, Balkovec, Lovric, Stulac, Zajc, Ilicic, Sporar, Verbic.
Subs: Vekic, Karic, Elsnik, Rogelj, Karnicnik, Tijanic, Belec, Vuckic, Celar, Kouter, Vrhovec.
Greece (5-3-2): Vlachodimos, Androutsos, Goutas, Tzavelas, Tsimikas, Giannoulis; Siopis, Bouchalakis, Mandalos (c); Masouras, Pavlidis.
Subs: Athanasiadis, Alexandropoulos, Douvikas, Vrousai, Saliakas, Kyriakopoulos, Pelkas, Paschalakis, Limnios, Mitoglou, Tzolis.
Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simón; Carvajal, Iñigo Martínez, Laporte, Gayà; Gavi, Rodri, Koke (c); De Tomás, Morata, Sarabia.
Subs: De Gea, Sánchez, Fornals, Soler, Olmo, Torres, Rodrigo, Busquets, Mendez, Jordi Alba, Azpilicueta, Brahim Díaz.
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
There's a big qualifier for England Under-21s going on at Turf Moor tonight. Everton's Anthony Gordon has struck twice early on to put them 2-0 up against group leaders Czech Republic, although the first may go down as an own goal after taking a big deflection.
Séamus Coleman returns to captain Ireland in a back three, with Enda Stevens coming in as a wing-back alongside Matt Doherty. St Mirren's Jamie McGrath and Rotherham's Chiedozie Ogbene also earn starts and will support Callum Robinson up front.
Inevitably, Cristiano Ronaldo starts for Portugal along with Manchester United colleagues Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot. Five players on yellow cards, including Diogo Jota and Rúben Dias, are kept on the bench.
Republic of Ireland (3-4-3): Bazunu; Coleman (c), Duffy, Egan; Doherty, Cullen, Hendrick, Stevens; Ogbene, Robinson, McGrath.
Subs: Knight, Collins, Keane, Idah, Parrott, McClean, Manning, Kelleher, O'Dowda, Travers, Hourihane, Browne.
Portugal (4-3-3): Rui Patrício; Nelson Semedo, Pepe, Danilo Pereira, Dalot; João Palhinha, Matheus Nunes, Bruno Fernandes; Ronaldo (c), André Silva, Gonçalo Guedes.
Subs: José Sa, Leão, Carvalho, Costa, Cancelo, João Félix, Fonte, Neves, Moutinho, Sanches, Dias, Jota.
Referee: Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain)
Four Uefa qualifiers kicked off at 5pm (GMT) and there are some significant results - not least in Batumi, where Group B leaders Sweden lost 2-0 Georgia. That very much hands the advantage to Spain, with the two sides meeting in Seville on Sunday.
Russia walloped Cyprus 4-0 in St Petersburg, so Croatia will need to beat Malta tonight and win Sunday's eliminator against Russia in Split. North Macedonia's 5-0 victory in Armenia leaves them in a two-horse race with Romania for a play-off place, and Luxembourg are on course to finish third in Group A; they beat 10-man Azerbaijan 3-1.