Portugal vs Uzbekistan LIVE Score: Portugal will be eyeing a strong comeback after an underwhelming start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign when they face Uzbekistan in their second Group K fixture in Houston on Tuesday, 23 June. Roberto Martinez’s men had begun their campaign with a 1-1 stalemate against DR Congo, also at the Houston Stadium, failing to beat the African side despite seizing the lead in the sixth minute.
Veteran star Cristiano Ronaldo, who is featuring in his sixth – and in all likelihood final – World Cup, was panned for a lacklustre display against The Leopards. Not only did the 41-year-old fail to score a single goal, he was also accused of being selfish on the field and costing his team valuable goal-scoring chances by going for glory all by himself instead of setting his teammates up.
Can Ronaldo finally open his account this World Cup?
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward will be under immense pressure to open his goal-scoring account at the World Cup considering some of the biggest names at the tournament, including arch-rival Lionel Messi, have been on a goal-scoring spree in the ongoing tournament.
Selecao das Quinas will also be hoping to assure themselves of a top-two finish at the end of the group stage with a victory over World Cup debutants Uzbekistan, who had begun their campaign with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Colombia in Mexico City.
There were discussions surrounding the possibility of benching Ronaldo for the Uzbekistan game, which would have been a bold move by manager Martinez considering the former’s stature as an all-time great.
And while Martinez had defended Ronaldo after the draw against Congo last week, he remained mum when asked about the possibility of benching ‘CR7’ on Monday on the eve of their second group fixture.
The upcoming match will mark the first ever meeting between Portugal and Uzbekistan in men’s football.
