Ronaldo answers critics with historic brace as Portugal cruise

Cristiano Ronaldo silenced his critics with a historic brace and etched his name deeper into football history with another milestone performance as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 to move closer to the knockout stage, while England were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Ghana in World Cup action on Tuesday.

Under pressure after Portugal’s opening draw with Democratic Republic of Congo, the 41-year-old captain delivered a vintage display, scoring twice to become the first player to find the net in six different World Cups and overtaking the late Eusébio as Portugal’s leading scorer in World Cup finals with 10 goals.

Nuno Mendes opened the scoring with a direct free kick before Ronaldo struck twice, with Rafael Leão adding another and Uzbekistan goalkeeper Utkir Nematov putting through his own net to complete the rout.

Ronaldo’s first goal earned him a Guinness World Record as the only player to score in six World Cups, while his second lifted him into the top 10 all-time World Cup scorers alongside names including Germany’s Helmut Rahn and Thomas Mueller, Peru’s Teofilo Cubillas, Poland’s Grzegorz Lato, England’s Gary Lineker and Harry Kane, and Argentina’s Gabriel Batistuta.

Portugal’s emphatic victory left them in a commanding position in Group K.

In Group L, England failed to build on their impressive opening victory over Croatia and were frustrated by a disciplined Ghana side coached by former Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz.

The Three Lions struggled to create clear chances and were denied by Ghana’s compact defensive setup before captain Harry Kane squandered a late opportunity from close range as the match ended 0-0.

Ahead of the game, Ghanaian spiritualist Nana Kwaku Bonsam had claimed he would limit Kane’s influence, echoing assertions he made before Ghana’s meeting with Portugal at the 2014 World Cup.

Kane’s inability to find the net prompted renewed discussion around the colourful pre-match comments, though England’s lack of attacking sharpness proved the more tangible factor in their disappointing display.

The contrasting fortunes left Portugal on the brink of the last 16, while England face renewed questions over their attacking fluency as the group stage enters a decisive phase.