With Cristiano Ronaldo “answering” his critics with two goals (6′, 39′) that led him to another unparalleled record – as he has scored in all 6 World Cups he has participated in – Portugal made… Uzbekistan look like a leaf and a feather and reached an emphatic 5-0 at the “NRG Stadion” in Houston as part of the 2nd matchday of the 11th Group of the 2026 World Cup.

The Iberians “cleaned up” the match before it reached the 20th minute, with CR7’s goal in the 6th minute (a terrific finish from Cancelo’s cross) and Mendes’ direct foul in the 17th minute. In the 39th minute, Ronaldo, with a place kick from an assist by Bruno Fernandes, made it 3-0, to be followed by two more Portuguese goals with Nematov’s own goal (60′) and Leao’s “cannonball” (87′). 

Ronaldo “looked” for a hat-trick in the second half, but goalkeeper Nematov denied him a third goal in the 58th and 74th minutes, on a “relaxed” night for the Portuguese.

Referee : Jalal Zayed (Morocco)
Yellow cards : 68′ Veiga – 14′ Khamrobeykov

The lineups of the two teams:
PORTUGAL (Roberto Martinez): Diogo Costa, Cancelo (46′ Semedo), Dias, Veiga, Mendes, Fernandes, Neves (76′ Bernardo Silva), Vitinha (83′ Leao), Neto (46′ Conceicao), Felix (64′ Trincao), Cristiano Ronaldo.
UZBEKISTAN (Fabio Cannavaro): Nematov, Kusanov, Ashurmatov, Nasrulaev (46′ Alizhonov), Abdullaev, Karimov (90’+2′ Ziyanov), Sukurov (90’+2′ Esanov), Khamrobeykov (46′ Mozgovoy), Ganiev, Fayzulaev (73′ Sergeev), Somurodov.