Ronaldo Makes History as Portugal Thrashes Uzbekistan 5-0 in Houston
Colombia secured their spot in the Round of 32, while England and Ghana battled to a goalless draw in Group L.
The story
Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name further into the FIFA World Cup record books yesterday, scoring twice as Portugal dominated Uzbekistan with a resounding 5-0 victory in Houston. The 41-year-old opened the scoring in the 6th minute, making him the first player to find the net in six different World Cups.
He added his second just before halftime in the 39th minute, surpassing Eusebio to become Portugal's all-time leading World Cup scorer. Nuno Mendes contributed a brilliant free-kick in the 17th minute, and an own goal by Uzbekistan's Utkir Yusupov in the 60th minute extended Portugal's lead. Rafael Leão capped off the impressive performance with a goal in the 87th minute, ensuring a crucial win for Roberto Martínez's side in Group K.
Yesterday's results
Portugal vs Uzbekistan
Score: 5-0
Key: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, becoming the first player to net in six World Cups.
England vs Ghana
Score: 0-0
Key: A resolute defensive display from Ghana earned them a valuable point against England in Foxborough.
Panama vs Croatia
Score: 0-1
Key: Substitute Ante Budimir's 54th-minute goal secured a vital win for Croatia; Panama is eliminated.
Colombia vs DR Congo
Score: 1-0
Key: Daniel Muñoz's 76th-minute strike sealed Colombia's qualification for the Round of 32 in Zapopan.
Where it stands
In Group K, Colombia has officially qualified for the Round of 32 with 6 points after their 1-0 win over DR Congo. Portugal sits second with 4 points and a strong +5 goal difference, while DR Congo has 1 point.
Uzbekistan, with 0 points, has been eliminated. Over in Group L, England and Ghana are both on 4 points following their 0-0 draw.
Croatia's 1-0 victory against Panama puts them on 3 points, keeping their qualification hopes alive. Panama, with 0 points, is now eliminated from the tournament. Mexico, USA, Germany, Argentina, France, and Norway have also confirmed their places in the knockout stages, while Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia, and Jordan are also eliminated.
What we'll be watching
- Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar [World Cup, Group B] — June 24, 23:00 UTC, Seattle
- Switzerland vs Canada [World Cup, Group B] — June 24, 23:00 UTC, Vancouver
- Morocco vs Haiti [World Cup, Group C] — June 25, 04:00 UTC, Atlanta
- Scotland vs Brazil [World Cup, Group C] — June 25, 04:00 UTC, Miami
- Czechia vs Mexico [World Cup, Group A] — June 25, 07:00 UTC, Mexico City
- South Africa vs South Korea [World Cup, Group A] — June 25, 07:00 UTC, Guadalupe
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.