Portugal thrash Uzbekistan 5-0 as Ronaldo becomes first to score in six World Cups

Portugal secured a dominant 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their Group K match at the World Cup in Houston on Tuesday. Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the first male footballer to score in six different World Cup tournaments, extending his streak that began in 2006.

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the sixth minute, firing a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner after a pass from João Cancelo. Nuno Mendes doubled the lead in the 17th minute with a free kick into the left corner. A potential Uzbekistan goal in the 29th minute was disallowed after a video review for a prior foul. Just before halftime, in the 39th minute, Ronaldo scored again from Bruno Fernandes' pass in the box, bringing his tournament tally to ten goals.

Early in the second half, in the 60th minute, a corner from Fernandes led to an own goal by Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvahid Nematov, making it 4-0. Ronaldo had another chance in the 74th minute but was denied by the keeper. The scoring was completed in the 87th minute when Rafael Leão finished a quick attack, hitting the ball into the top left corner.

Portugal started the tournament with a surprising 1-1 draw against DR Congo, while Uzbekistan lost their debut match 3-1 to Colombia. The two teams had never faced each other before, even in friendlies. The group stage, part of the first 48-team World Cup hosted across Mexico, the USA, and Canada, will end on June 27, with the knockout stage beginning on June 28.