FIFA World Cup 2026: Ronaldo's brace stars in Portugal's 5-0 thrashing against Uzbekistan

Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao were also on the scoresheet, while an own goal involving Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov added to the Fabio Cannavaro men's woes as Roberto Martinez's side secured their first win of the tournament in emphatic fashion.

The result came as a strong response from Portugal after they were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening group-stage encounter. The comprehensive victory helped Portugal get their World Cup campaign back on track and significantly boosted their goal difference ahead of the final group match.

Portugal took control of proceedings early in the contest and opened the scoring in the sixth minute through Ronaldo. The talisman striker met a low cross from Joao Cancelo and converted from close range to hand his side the lead.

The European side doubled their advantage in the 17th minute when Nuno Mendes curled a superb free-kick into the top corner, leaving the Uzbekistan goalkeeper with no chance.

Ronaldo struck again in the 39th minute after being played through by Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese captain calmly finished past goalkeeper Abduvokhid Nematov to make it 3-0 before halftime and further strengthen Portugal's control of the match.

Uzbekistan struggled to threaten Portugal after the break, with Eldor Shomurodov's effort over the crossbar being one of their few chances. Portugal continued to dominate possession and added a fourth goal in the 60th minute.

Fernandes delivered a corner into the near-post area, where Joao Felix produced a clever flick that created chaos inside the six-yard box. The ball then deflected off Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov before striking goalkeeper Nematov's glove and rolling into the net. The own goal summed up Portugal's dominance and extended their lead to 4-0 as Uzbekistan struggled to cope with the European side's attacking pressure.

Portugal maintained their attacking pressure throughout the second half. Their fifth and final goal arrived in the 87th minute when substitute Leao reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area and fired a powerful shot into the back of the net.

The convincing victory earned Portugal three important points and boosted their goal difference ahead of their final group-stage match.

Ronaldo's brace also helped him become Portugal's all-time leading World Cup scorer with 10 goals, surpassing the nine-goal mark set by Eusebio. The Portuguese captain also became the first player in history to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Ronaldo's match-winning brace against Uzbekistan came as a timely response after a disappointing performance in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their World Cup opener. The veteran forward struggled to influence that game, registering 25 touches, failing to hit the target with any of his three shots, and winning just one duel. Having gone 10 consecutive matches without scoring in major tournaments, his two-goal display against Uzbekistan ended concerns over his recent form and marked a significant return to scoring form on the biggest stage.

Portugal now sits atop Group K with four points from two matches, while Colombia occupy second place with three points from one game. (ANI)