Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan: Ronaldo Brace Leads Dominant Display
Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 in Group K, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice, Nuno Mendes adding a goal, and an own goal from Uzbekistan. Portugal sits second with 4 points, facing Colombia next.
On June 25, 2026, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Portugal demolished Uzbekistan 5-0 in their second Group K match of the World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao added goals, and Uzbekistan contributed an own goal. Portugal now has 4 points, sitting second in the group on goal difference.
Portugal took the lead just 6 minutes in. Joao Cancelo crossed from the right, and Ronaldo slotted home from close range. In the 17th minute, Nuno Mendes cut inside from the left and fired a curling shot into the top corner. Bruno Fernandes then set up Ronaldo in the 39th minute for a composed finish, making it 3-0 at halftime.
The second half saw Uzbekistan's misery deepen when defender A. Nematov headed a corner into his own net in the 60th minute. Rafael Leao completed the rout with a long-range strike in the 87th minute. Uzbekistan managed only two shots on target and never threatened Portugal's goal.
Statistically, Portugal dominated with 66% possession, 17 total shots (9 on target, 5 off, 3 blocked) against Uzbekistan's 7 shots (2 on target). Portugal had 3 corners to Uzbekistan's 2. Portugal completed 624 passes at 90% accuracy; Uzbekistan 327 at 80%. Expected goals (xG) were 2.61 for Portugal and 0.24 for Uzbekistan. Portugal's goalkeeper made 2 saves, Uzbekistan's 4. Fouls were 14-15 in favor of Portugal, with one yellow card each.
Man of the match Nuno Mendes scored one goal, provided 3 key passes, and completed 56 passes, earning a rating of 8.9. The 23-year-old Paris Saint-Germain left-back, born in Sintra, Portugal, played the full 90 minutes and showcased his attacking and defensive prowess.
In Group K standings, Colombia leads with 6 points from two wins, Portugal is second with 4 points (goal difference +5), DR Congo has 1 point, and Uzbekistan is bottom with 0 points. Portugal trails Colombia by 2 points.
Portugal's final group match is against Colombia on June 28 at 07:30 Beijing time. A win would secure top spot; a draw would leave them dependent on the DR Congo-Uzbekistan result. Uzbekistan faces DR Congo and must win to have any slim hope of advancing, given their poor goal difference.
After a 1-1 draw with Colombia in the opener, Portugal bounced back emphatically. Ronaldo is in fine form with three goals in two matches. Uzbekistan, making their World Cup debut, have conceded eight goals in two games and need major defensive improvements.