By Michael Kahn
HOUSTON, June 23 (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo silenced his critics in spectacular fashion, becoming the first player to score in six World Cups while netting twice in Portugal’s emphatic 5-0 Group K rout of Uzbekistan in Houston on Tuesday.
After the match the 41-year-old shouted “I’m back, I’m back” into the television cameras — an outpouring after critics had questioned his place in the team following a goal-scoring drought that had extended to 10 matches in major finals.
Allowed time and space in the box, Ronaldo was deadly in punishing an outclassed Uzbekistan as he took his overall World Cup tally to 10 goals, moving past Eusebio as Portugal’s all-time leading marksman at the global finals.
Ronaldo said that, while he was happy to break records, the most important thing for him was the team’s improvement and the confidence the players showed after a frustrating first match.
“The team performed really well and improved a lot,” he said. “As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Obviously, speaking personally, records are always nice but my goal is always to help the national team achieve its objectives.”
Portugal, who have four points from two games, face Colombia in their final Group K match, while Uzbekistan, teetering on the brink of elimination with no points, play DR Congo in their last outing.
EARLY INTENSITY
Portugal ramped up the intensity from the opening whistle as players seemed to want to make amends for the opening 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo as they moved the ball quickly up the pitch to create a host of chances.
Portugal created 17 attempts on goal with eight on target as players pushed forward throughout the match in search of a third goal for Ronaldo, who spurned a few good chances to bag a hat-trick.
Coach Roberto Martinez said the team — boasting attacking riches beyond Ronaldo — showed an improvement in decision-making and finishing against Uzbekistan.
“This was the response we had in the dressing room,” Martinez said. “There are times when you need a game like the first one in order to grow in the tournament.
“Today we saw a team with the same attitude and commitment, but with greater maturity because it was no longer the opening match.”
Ronaldo’s first goal in the sixth minute was a neat finish from six yards at the near post as he converted Joao Cancelo’s low cross, before placing Bruno Fernandes’ perfect pass into the far corner.
The clearly relieved striker raced to the sidelines after opening his account where his teammates mobbed him while coach Martinez sat back with a smile as Portugal players celebrated.
Nuno Mendes scored a superb free kick in between those two strikes, fooling Uzbekistan keeper Abduvohid Nematov – and the entire stadium – by taking the set piece while Ronaldo acted as a decoy.
Uzbekistan thought they had cut the lead after the first hydration break but Azizjon Ganiev’s superb effort was disallowed for a foul on Cancelo following a VAR check.
In the second half an unfortunate Nematov fumbled the ball into his own net and Rafael Leao added a late fifth in front of a full house of 68,777 fans as Portugal controlled play but stepped off the pedal slightly with the game in hand.
(Reporting by Nick Said and Michael KahnEditing by Toby Davis)
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