Portugal vs Uzbekistan Highlights, FIFA World Cup 2026: Undeniable Ronaldo, dominant Portugal hit 5 in rout

Cristiano Ronaldo was about a centimetre away from adding another, but even he couldn't stretch reality. Thankfully for him, the offside flag came to the rescue and spared any embarrassment.

And that's the last bit of action in Houston and Portugal are off the mark in the World Cup. A five-star performance with Ronaldo getting a brace and goals from Nuno Mendes, Rafael Leao either side of an own goal from Nematov ensured the three points were in the bag.

Next up, Colombia.

Portugal nearly made it six! Nuno Mendes fired in a teasing low cross, Trincao got just enough on it, but the ball clearly had other plans and curled away from goal. It would've been an absolute beauty if it had behaved.

If you believed that the game wasn't over before. It is done now.

Semedo turned on the afterburners down the right, cut the ball back perfectly, and Rafael Leao arrived like a man on a mission. One touch, one finish, game over.

The Portugal team is suddenly looking for Ronaldo all the time and this was something that was missing in the first game. Once again the pass is a bit too much but the idea is good.

Portugal are making another change, but it won't be the one some were expecting.

Vitinha's evening is over and Rafael Leao is sent on to add fresh legs and direct running. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, remains out there chasing that elusive hat-trick.

The midfield has looked a little scrambled at times tonight, with players drifting into similar spaces and Portugal occasionally unsure of where the next pass should come from.

But one thing is clear: Roberto Martinez is keeping his No. 7 on the pitch.

Ronaldo has answered his critics with goals, his loyals are answering with taunts.

Roberto Martinez is reaching for the luxury options now.

Joao Neves heads off after another tidy shift in midfield, with Bernardo Silva coming on to take over the controls.

As if Uzbekistan didn't already have enough problems, Portugal have just introduced one of the best playmakers in world football.

You can almost smell the hat-trick.

Abduvokhid Nematov gets a little too casual in possession and Cristiano Ronaldo pounces instantly. The Portugal captain nicks the ball, flicks it neatly over the recovering defender and suddenly has the goal at his mercy.

But just when it looked inevitable, Nematov scrambles back to redeem himself with a smart save.

A busy few seconds all around.

Aziz G'aniev skips away and looks to send Uzbekistan forward before Renato Veiga decides that's enough of that, hauling him down and earning himself a booking in the process.

The referee reaches for the yellow, the players reach for their water bottles, and Houston heads into another hydration break with Portugal still firmly in cruise control.

For a moment, that sounded nasty.

Nuno Mendes is caught late and the yelp echoes around the stadium, drawing a few worried looks from the Portugal bench. Fortunately for Roberto Martinez, the left-back bounces straight back to his feet.

That's the end of a lively afternoon for Joao Felix.

The forward has been bright, busy and full of intent throughout the hour, constantly asking questions of the Uzbekistan defence and helping keep Portugal on the front foot.

His work is done, and Francisco Trincao gets the final half-hour to join the fun.

Portugal have done it again.

The ball bounces here, there and everywhere before somehow ending up in the back of the net. Not the prettiest goal you'll ever see, but they all count.

Cristiano Ronaldo looked interested, Uzbekistan looked confused, and it appears an own goal may have the final touch.

Chaos. Portugal won't mind one bit.

Portugal try the clever stuff again.

Cristiano Ronaldo darts into the box from a well-worked free-kick routine and Bruno Fernandes picks him out with a delicate dink over the defence. For a moment, it looks like the hat-trick chance has arrived.

Not so fast.

Abduvokhid Nematov reads it brilliantly, races off his line and smothers the opportunity before Ronaldo can pull the trigger.

Bruno Fernandes is making his case with plenty of enthusiasm.

The Portugal midfielder is straight over to the referee after Cristiano Ronaldo is clipped, gesturing furiously for something more than a free-kick. The official isn't interested.

It's a foul, no doubt about that. But that's where the punishment ends. Ronaldo gets the free-kick. Bruno gets a polite rejection.

Diogo Costa had been enjoying a fairly quiet evening. Not anymore.

Abbosbek Fayzullaev wriggles himself a yard of space inside the box and fires one goalwards, forcing the Portugal goalkeeper to stay alert. The effort lacks the power to cause real concern, but it earns a rare nod of approval for Uzbekistan's attack.

Uzbekistan earn a free-kick after Otabek Shukurov nips in ahead of Vitinha near halfway and briefly gets his side moving forward.

The problem? Portugal get the ball back almost immediately.

A few passes later, it's resting comfortably in the gloves of Diogo Costa. Uzbekistan won the foul. Portugal won the moment.

Joao Felix spots the space, winds up and absolutely lets fly.

For a split second, Houston thought it was heading for the top corner. Instead, it whistles just over the bar.

Not a goal. But definitely a statement of intent.

We're back underway in Houston with changes on both sides.

Uzbekistan have turned to Khojiakbar Alijonov and Akmal Mozgovoy, while Portugal give Joao Cancelo and Pedro Neto a well-earned breather, sending on Nelson Semedo and Francisco Conceicao.

The score is 3-0, Cristiano Ronaldo is still out there, and Portugal's hunt for more goals continues. That's not exactly comforting news for Uzbekistan.

Well, that escalated quickly.

Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Houston with questions swirling around his place in Portugal's attack. Forty-five minutes later, he has two goals, a World Cup record and Portugal cruising towards three points.

Roberto Martinez's side have looked far sharper than they did against DR Congo. Bruno Fernandes has dictated play, Joao Cancelo has been a constant menace and Ronaldo has feasted on the service. In fact, it could easily have been a hat-trick. Another teasing Cancelo delivery found the captain, whose clever dink looked destined for the net before Abdukodir Khusanov produced a brilliant goal-line clearance.

One stat sums up the half perfectly: Portugal have scored three first-half goals in a World Cup match for the first time ever, doing so in their 37th game at the finals.

The fourth official has held up the board and there will be six minutes of added time at the end of the first half.

For Uzbekistan, it's six more minutes of defending against a Portugal side that has finally found its rhythm. For Cristiano Ronaldo, it's six more minutes to chase a hat-trick and perhaps another slice of history.

Given how this half has gone, neither possibility feels unlikely.