Houston witnessed a true football massacre. Portugal, coming off an embarrassing 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their debut, redeemed itself in the worst way for Uzbekistan: a crushing 5-0, with a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo and an overwhelming performance that makes clear who rules Group K.
The match, corresponding to the second round of the 2026 World Cup, seemed a formality for the Portuguese, but no one expected such an early rout. In the 6th minute, the «Bug» opened the scoring with a poacher’s goal that set off alarms on the Asian bench. In the 17th minute, Nuno Mendes extended the lead with a cross-shot that left the opposing goalkeeper helpless. The feeling that a historic thrashing was coming became palpable in the stadium.
Uzbekistan tried to react but ran into a wall called the Portuguese defense. They even had a goal disallowed for a prior infringement that sparked anger on the rival bench. And just when it seemed they would go into halftime with a manageable 2-0, Cristiano Ronaldo appeared again to seal the match. In the 39th minute, the Portuguese star capitalized on a lethal counterattack to make it 3-0 and put the icing on the cake in a perfect first half.
In the second half, the show continued. In the 55th minute, Uzbek defender Nematov put the ball into his own net to extend the lead to 4-0. An unforgivable error that reflected the fragility of the Asian side, which completely fell apart. The rest of the match was a mere formality: Portugal focused on circulating the ball and waiting for the final whistle. But there was still time for more. In stoppage time, Rafael Leao sealed the final 5-0 with a cross-shot that capped the biggest rout of the tournament so far.
With this result, Portugal has 4 points and sits comfortably in the Group K standings, although Colombia leads with 6 points after winning both its matches. Uzbekistan, in its first World Cup appearance, is on the brink of elimination with 0 points and a poor goal difference. The next round will be key to determining the qualifiers, but this afternoon was a display of offensive power that excites Portuguese fans. Can Cristiano Ronaldo lead his team to the title? For now, the path seems clear.
Watch the 2026 World Cup in the best quality
These are the most sought-after TVs to watch the National Team. All with 12 interest-free installments:
- Smart TV Kanji 32″ LED HD – From $120,000 in 12 interest-free installments (VAFTS9-89J3)
- Smart TV LG 43″ 4K UHD WebOS – From $450,000 in 12 interest-free installments (VAFTS9-WXW9)
- Smart TV Samsung 50″ 4K UHD – From $600,000 in 12 interest-free installments (VAFTS9-VVE0)
Approximate prices. 12 interest-free installments subject to each seller. Look for the codes on Mercado Libre.
la vergüenza de antes pero ya se reivindicaron los burgueses estos para mi CR7 el unico q se salva los demas son unos vendidos al sistema 5-0 a Uzbekistán pero ni asi me callan la seleccion es un circo del capital firmado El Che Guevara Vive 🔴⚫
Para mí esto es de machos de verdad, vamo CR7 carajo. Portugal de los blancos laburando, los zurditos llorando como siempre. 5-0 y a callar bocas, así se clasifica. Esto huele a gloria lusa, los débiles asiáticos no dan la talla.