Portugal suffer heartbreak as they miss out on their first ever win at the Rugby World Cup after Nuno Guedes MISSES an 81st minute penalty against Georgia

• Portugal missed out on their first ever Rugby World Cup win against Georgia 
• Nuno Guedes missed a penalty with the last kick of the game as it ended level
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• Latest Rugby World Cup 2023 news, including fixtures, live scores and results

Portugal missed out on their first ever Rugby World Cup win after Nuno Guedes missed a penalty in the 81st minute against Georgia.

The match ended 18-18, with Guedes handed the chance to convert to put his side ahead in the dying minutes.

However, he was unable to do so and missed a penalty to the dismay of Portugal supporters.

The result is Portugal’s fourth ever World Cup draw – and their first since 2011.

Dubbed as ‘the biggest kick of his life’, 28-year-old Guedes looked nervous stepping up to convert the penalty in the Pool C clash.

Nuno Guedes missed a penalty in the 81st minute against Georgia for Portugal

The conversion would have seen Portugal win their first ever Rugby World Cup match

After taking a long run up, he fired his penalty agonisingly wide to keep the scoer level.

There were mixed emotions from his teammates as several embraced him as the full-time whistle went after his penalty.

Others looked on in disbelief, with several pictured with their hands on their head as they had to settle for the draw in France.

Having been 13-0 down just past the half-hour mark, the Portuguese fought back with 18 unanswered points before Tengizi Zamtaradze’s 78th-minute try, given after a review, drew things level. 

Luka Matkava had the chance to put Georgia back in front but sent his conversion attempt wide, and Portugal were then awarded a last-gasp penalty – only for Nuno Sousa Guedes to also fail to hit the target.

Georgia had opened the scoring with Akaki Tabutsadze’s second-minute try, converted by Tedo Abzhandadze, who added two penalties.

Portugal then got off the mark from their first real opportunity, with Raffaele Storti crossing in the 34th minute.

Guedes was embraced after missing the last-kick penalty as his side fell to defeat

Samuel Marques was unable to convert on that occasion, hitting the upright, but was successful with two penalties early in the second half.

Storti then scored his second try in the 57th minute to take his side into the lead, with Marques adding the extras, before the compelling contest entered its thrilling finale.

The result leaves Georgia and Portugal as the bottom two teams in the Pool, sitting on just two points.

Wales sit top of the pool, with two wins from two and a total of 10 points while both Fiji and Australia have registered a win and a draw and sit on six points.

Portugal face Australia next before closing out the group stage against Fiji, but they know just how costly dropping points today will have been.

It wasn’t to be for Guedes, whose kick will no doubt haunt him. 

But it was a performance to be proud of for Portugal, who came so close to their first ever win at a Rugby World Cup. 

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