Uzbekistan lost 5-0 to Portugal in their second Group K match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at NRG Stadium in Houston, as Portugal strengthened their position in the race for the knockout stage.
The European side took control from the opening minutes and opened the scoring in the sixth minute when captain Cristiano Ronaldo found the net past Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov.
Portugal doubled their advantage in the 17th minute through full-back Nuno Mendes, who converted a free-kick to make it 2-0.
Uzbekistan attempted to respond through counterattacks led by Eldor Shomurodov and Abbosbek Fayzullayev, but struggled to create clear opportunities against Roberto Martinez's side.
The Central Asian team thought they had pulled a goal back in the 31st minute when Aziz Gʻaniyev scored, but the effort was ruled out for a foul.
Ronaldo struck again in the 39th minute, capitalizing on space in Uzbekistan's defense to score his second goal of the match and give Portugal a 3-0 lead before halftime.
Uzbekistan sought to tighten its defensive structure after the break, but Portugal continued to dictate the game. The scoreline widened in the 60th minute when Nematov inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, giving Portugal a fourth goal.
Rafael Leao completed the scoring in the 87th minute, sealing a comprehensive 5-0 victory for the Portuguese side.
The result leaves Uzbekistan still searching for its first points of the tournament following its World Cup debut defeat to Colombia in the opening round.
Match details:
FIFA World Cup 2026
Group K – Matchday 2
Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan
Goals: Cristiano Ronaldo (6', 39'), Nuno Mendes (17'), Abduvohid Ne'matov (own goal, 60'), Rafael Leao (87').
Uzbekistan entered the tournament after becoming the first Central Asian nation to qualify for a FIFA World Cup. The team opened its campaign with a 3-1 defeat to Colombia, while Portugal began the tournament with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo.
Group K also includes Colombia and DR Congo. Uzbekistan's final group-stage match against DR Congo is expected to be crucial as the team seeks to end its historic World Cup debut campaign on a positive note.
