Houston, Texas, United States- Portugal cruised to a 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan to put the doubts raised after their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup firmly behind them. An outstanding first-half display settled the contest early, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Nuno Mendes both scoring twice. Ronaldo also made history by becoming the first footballer ever to score in six different World Cups. After the break, an own goal from Nematov and a late strike by Rafael Leão completed the rout. Portugal moves provisionally to the top of Group K, pending Colombia's result against DR Congo.
Roberto Martinez's team arrived under scrutiny after an unconvincing 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opening fixture, much like Spain after their own disappointing start to the tournament. Questions were beginning to surround Roberto Martínez's side, but the Portuguese followed the example of their Iberian neighbours and attacked from the very first whistle.
It took Cristiano Ronaldo just six minutes to restore confidence. The Al Nassr forward met an excellent cross from João Cancelo with a first-time finish to open the scoring.
Martínez made two changes to his starting line-up following the opening match. Rúben Dias returned to the heart of the defence, while João Félix came into the side on the left wing, with Bernardo Silva dropping to the bench. The alterations paid immediate dividends as Portugal looked far more dynamic and direct. Vitinha and João Neves controlled possession, Bruno Fernandes linked midfield with attack, and Ronaldo thrived at the focal point of the forward line.
The full-backs also played a decisive role. Nuno Mendes and João Cancelo may well be the finest full-back pairing at this World Cup. Constantly driving forward, they stretched Uzbekistan with their attacking runs and provided the width and penetration that had been lacking in Portugal's opening fixture.
Nuno Mendes deserves special mention. The Paris Saint-Germain left-back seems incapable of slowing down, operating permanently at full speed. He delivers pinpoint crosses, recovers quickly to snuff out danger, combines intelligently through central areas like a midfielder and leads counter-attacks with the pace of a winger. As if that were not enough, he is also a set-piece specialist. In the 16th minute, he beat Nematov directly from a free-kick to double Portugal's advantage. He is still only 24 years old.
The scheduled cooling break briefly interrupted Portugal's relentless momentum. Uzbekistan thought they had pulled one back after João Cancelo lost possession, allowing Ganiyev to unleash a superb long-range strike into the top corner. However, following a VAR review, the referee ruled the goal out for a foul on the Barcelona full-back in the build-up.
Portugal restored their dominance before half-time. In the 38th minute, Bruno Fernandes surged through the middle before releasing the ball to the right, where Ronaldo applied the finishing touch for his second goal of the evening.
After the restart, the Madeira-born veteran chased a hat-trick. Nematov denied him after a cleverly worked set-piece involving Bruno Fernandes, but the Uzbek goalkeeper was soon left helpless when he diverted the rebound from a Portugal corner into his own net.
Uzbekistan produced a disappointing display throughout. Their star defender, Khusanov, summed up the team's frustration. Television cameras repeatedly focused on the Manchester City centre-back, whose body language reflected both his disappointment and the gulf in quality between the two sides.
Portugal was then able to rotate their squad, with Cancelo, Pedro Neto, João Félix and João Neves all withdrawn to be rested. The substitutes made a positive impact, particularly Francisco Conceição and Nélson Semedo. In the closing stages, the Fenerbahçe full-back delivered a precise cross for the newly introduced Rafael Leão, who fired emphatically into the top corner to make it 5-0.
Portugal was the last of the tournament favourites to truly announce themselves at this World Cup. Roberto Martínez's side have rediscovered both their collective fluency and the confidence of their captain. Ronaldo's place in the team had become the subject of growing debate after the opening match, but his brace provided the perfect response.
The wider questions have not entirely disappeared, and sterner examinations still lie ahead. However, Portugal's emphatic reaction reinforces the growing sense that the group stage is little more than a warm-up before the knockout rounds begin. A showdown with Colombia for top spot in Group K will provide their first genuine test and a far clearer indication of the true level of both this Portugal side and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Photos by: Walid Ibrahim / JNA Press
