Portugal moved closer to the World Cup knockout stage after a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in Houston.
The match was highlighted by another historic performance from veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo became the first male footballer to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.
The 41-year-old striker found the net twice as Portugal secured their first victory in Group K.
His goals came during a dominant first-half display by the Portuguese side.
Portugal took control of the contest early and never allowed Uzbekistan a route back into the game.
Ronaldo’s opening goal gave his team the advantage before defender Nuno Mendes doubled the lead.
The Portuguese defender scored directly from a free-kick to increase the pressure on Uzbekistan.
Ronaldo then grabbed his second goal of the evening to further strengthen Portugal’s grip on the match.
An own goal by Uzbekistan’s Abduvohid Nematov added to the visitors’ misery.
Substitute Rafael Leao completed the scoring with a late strike.
The emphatic result handed Portugal all three points and boosted their qualification hopes.
Portugal now stand on the brink of securing a place in the knockout phase of the competition.
The victory also reinforced the team’s status as one of the strong contenders in the tournament.
Ronaldo’s latest achievement added another chapter to his remarkable international career.
The Portuguese captain continues to set records despite entering the later stages of his playing career.
His historic brace proved decisive as Portugal delivered one of the most convincing performances of the tournament so far.
The result leaves Uzbekistan facing a difficult task in their bid to progress from the group stage.
Portugal will now look to maintain their momentum in their remaining Group K fixtures.
