Cristiano Ronaldo answered his critics in emphatic fashion on Tuesday, scoring two goals to lead Portugal to a dominant 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their Group K match at the Houston Stadium .
The 41-year-old superstar became the first player in men’s World Cup history to score in six different tournaments, adding another remarkable achievement to his legendary career .
Ronaldo breaks records and silences critics
After a forgettable performance in Portugal’s opening 1-1 draw against DR Congo, questions were raised about whether Ronaldo should remain in the starting lineup . Coach Roberto Martinez stuck with his captain, and the decision paid off almost immediately.
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the sixth minute, converting Joao Cancelo’s cross at the near post with a powerful right-footed shot . The goal sparked his famous “SIUUU” celebration as he ran toward the bench to celebrate with teammates .
The veteran striker added his second in the 39th minute, calmly finishing a through ball from Bruno Fernandes into the corner of the net . This was his 10th World Cup goal, making him Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament, surpassing the legendary Eusebio’s record of nine .
“I’m very happy. But for me, the most important thing is our work and the confidence we showed. As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining,” Ronaldo told FIFA after the match . “Records are always nice, but my goal is always to help the national team achieve its objectives.”
Portugal’s dominant display
Nuno Mendes doubled Portugal’s lead in the 17th minute with a precise left-footed free kick from 25 metres that caught the Uzbekistan goalkeeper off guard .
Uzbekistan thought they had pulled one back when Azizjon Ganiev scored a stunning long-range strike, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review showed a foul on Cancelo in the build-up .
Portugal’s fourth came through an own goal in the 60th minute, when a corner kick deflected off Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov and goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov . Rafael Leao, who entered as a substitute in the 83rd minute, completed the rout with a powerful strike in the 87th minute .
World Cup debutants struggle
Uzbekistan, making their first World Cup appearance, struggled against the relentless Portuguese attack . Coach Fabio Cannavaro, Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning captain, watched his side fail to make an impact .
With this victory, Portugal lead Group K with four points, while Uzbekistan must win their final group match against DR Congo to keep their knockout-stage hopes alive .
