Brace for Ronaldo; Portugal fill 3 in Uzbek net in first half

Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo had his moment at the FIFA World Cup 2026, scoring two goals for Portugal in their Group K clash as they lead 3-0 against Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium.

Ronaldo's goal came amid Portugal's relentless dominance. The move began on the right wing, with Joao Cancelo carrying the ball along the right edge of the penalty area before chipping in a cross. Ronaldo, waiting inside the box, swung his right leg and guided the ball into the net.

His ninth World Cup goal earned him another record, making him the first player to score in six consecutive World Cups.

And his second goal and Portugal's third was just as stylish. Bruno Fernandes threaded a precise through ball into Ronaldo's path on the right flank, and the veteran forward made no mistake. The 41-year-old calmly slid the ball into the bottom corner, reminiscent of his prime years. The strike took his World Cup tally in the tournament to three goals.

And Portugal's display looked nothing like the side that laboured to a draw against DR Congo in their opening match. There was cohesion, unity and teamwork throughout the team. They proved a constant menace to the Uzbekistan backline from the outset. For much of the game, the ball remained in the Uzbek half as Portugal launched wave after wave of attacks, steadily increasing the pressure.

In the second minute, Bruno Fernandes produced Portugal's first big chance. His effort on goal was deflected over the crossbar. Soon after, Nuno Mendes surged down the left flank and whipped a dangerous cross into the box, where Ronaldo was charging in. The veteran forward missed connecting with the ball by inches and smashed the ground in frustration after failing to make significant contact.

And came the first goal. But the second, in the 17th minute, was what surprised everyone. Portugal won a free-kick just outside the penalty area. Ronaldo stood over the ball with Nuno Mendes by his side. Everyone expected Ronaldo to take it, but the PSG defender stepped up instead and made no mistake. It looked like a move rehearsed straight from the training ground.

Even before the goals, it had been largely one-way traffic. By the 20th minute, Portugal had registered five attempts on goal, with two on target. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, did manage to push the ball into the Portuguese third on a few occasions and looked threatening at times.

In the 29th minute, it seemed their efforts had finally been rewarded. Azizjon Ganiev, back in the side after recovering from injury, unleashed a stunning strike from around 20 yards out that flew into the back of the net.

However, the celebrations were short-lived as VAR intervened. A review found that Abbosbek Fayzullaev had fouled Joao Cancelo in the build-up just moments earlier, resulting in the goal being disallowed.

Uzbekistan continued to search for a breakthrough before the interval. In the 43rd minute, Otabek Shukurov tried his luck from distance, but his effort failed to trouble the Portuguese goal.

And the stats at halftime tell the story. Portugal had 8 attempts against Uzbekistan's 3. Shots on target were 3 to 1.

Last week, Portugal were held to a disappointing draw by DR Congo in their opening fixture, struggling to create meaningful chances despite enjoying large spells of possession. Credit must go to the Congolese defence, which kept Ronaldo under tight surveillance and limited Portugal's attacking threat.

Lineup

Portugal: Diogo Costa, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix, Pedro Neto.

Uzbekistan: Abduvohid Nematov, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rustam Ashurmatov, Sherzod Nasrullaev, Abdulla Abdullaev, Behruzjon Karimov, Otabek Shukurov, Odiljon Xamrobekov, Azizjon Ganiev, Abbosbek Fayzullaev, Eldor Shomurodov.