Kathmandu, June 24: Captain Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal cruised to a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Tuesday night, moving to the top of Group K.
Ronaldo’s historic brace, along with goals from Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leão, plus an own goal from Uzbekistan, secured an emphatic win for the Portuguese side at Houston Stadium.
Portugal took the lead in the sixth minute when Ronaldo finished from a pass by João Cancelo. The goal made him the first player in history to score in six different FIFA World Cups.
Mendes doubled Portugal’s advantage in the 17th minute with a superb free-kick before Ronaldo struck again in the 39th minute, converting a pass from Bruno Fernandes to give his side a 3-0 lead at halftime.
With his second goal of the night, Ronaldo also became Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing the previous record of nine goals held by Eusébio.
Portugal extended their lead in the 60th minute when Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
Leão completed the scoring in the 87th minute, sealing a comprehensive 5-0 victory for Portugal.
The win moves Portugal to the top of Group K with four points from two matches, while Uzbekistan remain bottom of the standings without a point.
