HOUSTON: After a disappointing draw in their opening game, Portugal bounced back in style by crushing Uzbekistan 5-0 in their Group K match at a packed Houston Stadium. The night belonged entirely to Cristiano Ronaldo, who broke a long goal drought to prove he is still one of the best in the world.
The action started very early. Just six minutes into the match, Ronaldo tapped in a low cross from João Cancelo to give Portugal the lead. With this strike, Ronaldo made history by becoming the first player ever to score a goal in six different editions of the FIFA World Cup.
Portugal kept up the pressure, and in the 17th minute, defender Nuno Mendes doubled the lead with a beautiful direct free-kick. Uzbekistan struggled to handle Portugal’s passing, and before the first half ended, Ronaldo scored his second goal of the night by converting a perfect pass from Bruno Fernandes. This goal took his total World Cup tally to 10, passing the legendary Eusébio to make Ronaldo Portugal’s all-time top scorer at the tournament.
In the second half, a tough night for Uzbekistan got worse when their goalkeeper accidentally knocked the ball into his own net from a corner drive. Right before the final whistle, substitute Rafael Leão curled a brilliant shot into the top corner to seal the 5-0 win. With this grand victory, Portugal has put their tournament back on track.
