Translated with AI
The Uzbekistan national team suffered a crushing defeat to the Portuguese national team in the second round of the 2026 World Cup group stage. The match, which took place on June 23 in Houston, ended with a score of 5-0 in favor of Portugal, Fergana.ru reports.
The outcome of the match was largely decided in the first half. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the sixth minute, followed by Nuno Mendes scoring directly from a free kick. Shortly before the break, the Portugal captain scored twice, extending his team's lead to three goals.
Uzbekistan had a chance to reduce the deficit midway through the first half when Azizjon Ganiev scored. However, after a VAR review, the goal was disallowed due to a foul by Abbos Fayzullaev at the start of an attacking move.
The Portuguese team continued to dominate the field in the second half. The fourth goal was recorded as an own goal by Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov, and Rafael Leão sealed the final score.
After the match, Uzbekistan national team head coach Fabio Cannavaro said that, despite the defeat, he was proud of his players.
"After the game against Colombia, I already said how proud I was of my team, and I'm proud of my team today, too. Because I saw them. Yes, they faced difficulties, but they never gave up. Of course, playing against a team with high-level players in all positions is always difficult. They undoubtedly took to the field with great motivation. But, as I said, this World Cup is an experience for us," Cannavaro said.
This match was historic for Cristiano Ronaldo. The 41-year-old striker became the first footballer in history to score in six consecutive World Cups, from 2006 to 2026.
In addition, Ronaldo surpassed Eusebio's achievement and became Portugal's all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
This defeat was the second in a row for the Uzbekistan national team in the tournament, following the match against Colombia. Nevertheless, the team still has a theoretical chance of advancing to the playoffs.
The Uzbek team will play its final group stage match on June 27 against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
