Cristiano Ronaldo made history as Portugal recorded their first win at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a 5-0 demolition of Uzbekistan in their Group K encounter at the Houston stadium.
The 41-year-old Ronaldo became the first player ever to score at six different World Cup tournaments, netting a clinical first-half.
Ronaldo opened the scoring from close range before Nuno Mendes doubled the lead via a clever free-kick routine.
Ronaldo struck again before the interval, and while a hat-trick eluded him in the second half, an Abduvohid Nematov own-goal and a late thunderbolt from substitute Rafael Leão completed the rout.
Meanwhile, Colombia qualified for the round of 32 following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over DR Congo, putting them at the summit of Group K with six points.
Colombia dominated the encounter but found themselves frustrated by an inspired performance from DR Congo goalkeeper, Lionel Mpasi, who racked up eight spectacular saves.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 76th minute when Daniel Muñoz poked home, leaving DR Congo in third place with a single point ahead of their must-win final group match against Uzbekistan.
Over in Group L, the optimism surrounding England was swiftly brought down to earth as Thomas Tuchel’s side was held to a drab 0-0 draw by a resilient Ghana side in Boston.
Coming off thrilling opening wins against Panama and Croatia, the Black Stars and Three Lions struggled to find their rhythm in a match devoid of clear-cut chances.
Skipper Harry Kane missed a golden opportunity to snatch all three points late in the game, shockingly skying a close-range volley with the goal completely gaping.
The stalemate in Boston keeps the door wide open for Croatia, who breathed life back into their World Cup campaign with a cagey 1-0 win over Panama.
Second-half substitute Ante Budimir proved to be the hero, tapping in a precise Josip Stanisic cross at the far post to secure the vital three points.
While Croatia sets up a high-stakes final group showdown against Ghana, the result spells heartbreak for Panama, who become one of the first teams eliminated from the tournament after back-to-back 1-0 defeats.
