On June 23, Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name into history by becoming the first player to score in six World Cups, leading Portugal to a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in Houston. The win all but secured Portugal's place in the round of 16.
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the sixth minute, connecting with Joao Cancelo's pass, spinning and finishing inside the box. The goal saw him surpass Lionel Messi to become the first man to score at six World Cups since 2006. Ronaldo celebrated with his trademark 'Siu' roar in front of 68,777 fans.
In the 17th minute, Nuno Mendes doubled Portugal's lead with a superb free kick. Before the half was out, Ronaldo added his second with a deft touch, taking his World Cup tally to 10 and overtaking legendary Eusebio as Portugal's all-time top scorer in the tournament.
Uzbekistan, coached by 2006 World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, had a goal from Azizjon Ganiev ruled out by VAR for a foul on Cancelo. Portugal continued to dominate and scored a fourth from a corner, with the ball deflecting off goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov into his own net.
Rafael Leao sealed the 5-0 win in the 87th minute with a confident finish. Ronaldo nearly completed his hat trick but was denied by the Uzbekistan goalkeeper.
Speaking after the match, Ronaldo said: 'I'm very happy. But for me, the most important thing is the team's work and the confidence we showed. The team played well and improved a lot. Records are always nice, but my goal is to help the national team achieve its objectives.'
The emphatic victory was a response to criticism after Portugal's 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opener, where Ronaldo missed chances and faced questions about his form. Coach Roberto Martinez kept faith in the veteran.
Portugal will face Colombia in their final group match on June 26. Earlier the same day, Colombia face the Democratic Republic of Congo with knockout qualification at stake.
