Ronaldo Makes History with Two Goals as Portugal Crushes Uzbekistan
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first male player to score in six different World Cups, leading Portugal to a 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan.
Portugal's national football team secured a dominant 5-0 win over Uzbekistan in Tuesday's Group K match in Houston, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice and etching his name in World Cup history.
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the sixth minute, receiving a pass from João Cancelo and firing a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner. At 41, he became the second-oldest goal-scorer in men's World Cup history, behind Cameroon's Roger Milla.
Nuno Mendes doubled Portugal's lead in the 17th minute with a precise free kick. Uzbekistan thought they had pulled one back in the 29th minute, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review for a prior infringement. Ronaldo made it 3-0 in the 39th minute, finishing from Bruno Fernandes' pass.
In the second half, Portugal continued their dominance. In the 60th minute, a corner from Fernandes led to an own goal by Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvahid Nematov. Rafael Leão completed the rout in the 87th minute with a quick counterattack finish.
Portugal started the tournament with a surprising 1-1 draw against DR Congo, while Uzbekistan lost their debut match 3-1 to Colombia. This was the first-ever meeting between the two sides at any level.
The World Cup, featuring 48 teams for the first time, is being co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
