Cristiano Ronaldo put the sceptics in their place with two goals and a formidable performance as Portugal crushed Uzbekistan 5-0 in Houston.
Where Lionel Messi goes, Cristiano Ronaldo follows – and the veteran from Portugal finally entered the World Cup party this afternoon with two clinical goals as his team crushed Uzbekistan.
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Ronaldo had received massive criticism for his efforts against DR Congo last week, which created a new debate about whether the 41-year-old still asserts himself at the highest level. In addition, he had to watch his fiercest rival Messi hammer in five goals in two games for Argentina, while Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland scored four times each for France and Norway respectively.
But Portugal manager Roberto Martinez stuck with his key player – and was richly rewarded. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker scored twice in the first half and made history as the first player to score in six different World Cup finals. The second goal also made him Portugal’s all-time top scorer, ahead of the legend Eusébio.
Nuno Mendes was also on the scoresheet, as well as Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abdouvakhid Nematov was credited with an own goal. Rafa Leão came in from the bench and added a magnificent fifth goal just before the end.
Ronaldo’s opening goal set the tone
The goal after six minutes was classic Ronaldo. Joao Cancelo did the heavy lifting with a run down the right side before hitting a low cross. Ronaldo moved effortlessly in front of his marker at the near post and met the ball on a half-volley – sending it whizzing into the bottom corner.
The relief was palpable all around the stadium in Houston.
Mendes then hammered in 2-0 eleven minutes later from a free kick just outside the box. Most in the crowd expected Ronaldo to take it, but the PSG full-back surprised everyone – including Uzbekistan goalkeeper Nematov – when he slammed the ball into the net with his left foot.
Uzbekistan looked completely shocked, but they eventually created some chances going forward. They thought they had reduced the deficit just before the half-hour was played, when Aziz G’aniev hammered in from 25 yards and sent the ball into the crossbar. However, the jubilation was short-lived – VAR spotted a free kick from Abbosbek Fayzullaev on Cancelo, and the goal was nullified.
Portugal took advantage of their luck and made it 3-0 before half-time. Bruno Fernandes stormed through midfield and found Ronaldo with a perfectly timed pass. The Al-Nassr star did the rest and put the ball safely into the goal with his right foot.
Ronaldo frustrated in pursuit of hat-trick
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner came very close to completing the hat-trick deep into first-half injury time, but his lob over Nematov was cleared on the line by Manchester City stopper Abdukodir Khusanov.
João Felix fired a warning just after half-time, but Fabio Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan refused to give up and created a couple of half-chances of their own – both Fayzullaev and Otabek Shukurov tried their way towards goal.
Ronaldo saw little of the ball at the start of the second half, but he came close to playing a central role in Portugal’s fourth goal with a brilliant free-kick. Again, he pretended to take it, before stepping aside and moving forward. Fernandes found him with a lovely pass, but Nematov saved his finish with a brave stop.
However, Nematov went from hero to villain on the following corner. Uzbekistan failed to clear a low cross from the left, and in the aftermath, Khusanov headed the ball at his own goalkeeper – who got the last touch before the ball snuck over the line.
Ronaldo did everything he could to get the hat-trick, but when he pressed Nematov, he saw his half-volley shot saved by the exhausted Uzbekistan goalkeeper.
Leão was luckier three minutes before the end. Although the Uzbekistan defence was able to partially clear Nelson Semedo’s cross from the right, the ball fell perfectly for Leão – and the Milan winger elegantly placed it in the crossbar.
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