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Josh Ball

One swallow does not a summer make, and two goals don’t change Cristiano Ronaldo’s place in the hierarchy of football greatness, still, he has one record Lionel Messi can never beat.
Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups as Portugal beat Uzbekistan 5-0 early on Wednesday. He also overtook the great Eusebio as his country’s leading scorer at the tournament.
England, meanwhile, laboured to a goalless draw with Ghana in an attacking performance that had about as much cutting edge as a butter knife. They should have lost, but officials somehow missed one of the more obvious penalties you’ll ever see.
Their Group L opponents Panama and Croatia have just kicked off in Toronto, while Group K rivals Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are scheduled to get under way at 10am.
But for now, here’s what happened overnight.

Moments of extraordinary dullness
There are times when a game that ends goalless can have been a thrilling, end-to-end affair, with flashes of attacking brilliance and heroic defending. Cabo Verde against Spain being a prime example.
England against Ghana was not one of those. Neither side managed a shot on target in a first half that lasted 51 minutes, which is what extended stoppages and hydration breaks get you in 2026.
The most notable occurrence before the break was the yellow card Declan Rice picked up in the 42nd minute, which was England’s first of the tournament.
Thomas Tuchel’s side had the lion’s share of possession, and at one stage had made 242 passes to Ghana’s 32. Unfortunately, in a passable group impression of David Batty, all they did was go sideways a lot.
There was little difference in the second half, although not many people would have had Harry Kane blazing over from six yards out on their World Cup bingo cards.
Ghana, meanwhile, were steadfast in defence, occasionally sprightly in attack, and may feel hard done by, given Erzi Kanso’s penalty area assault on striker Prince Adu in the 79th minute was completely ignored by the referee. VAR stayed mysteriously silent.
The draw kept both sides at the top of their group on four points, with England ahead courtesy of a better goal difference. As it stands, Tuchel’s men will play DR Congo in the round of 32.
Hello boys, I’m back
An emotional Cristiano Ronaldo screamed “I’m back, I’m back” into a television camera at the end of his side’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, a game in which he finally scored again at a major tournament.
The 41-year-old had gone 10 games across World Cups and European Championships without hitting the back of the net, but struck twice either side of a Nuno Mendes effort to put his side 3-0 up at half-time in Houston.
Ronaldo’s double against a side making their World Cup debuts and ranked 51 places below Portugal, not only set a record for scoring in consecutive tournaments, it also took him to second on the list of oldest players to get a goal.
Cameroon’s Roger Milla was 42 when he hit the back of the net the last time the World Cup was in the United States in 1994.
An own goal from Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov on the hour, and a spectacular strike from Rafael Leao completed the rout.
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.
“It was a difficult week, a dark week,” Ronaldo said. “It felt like I’d retired from soccer. But I hung in there, as I always do, because I believe in hard work more than anything else.
“It was tough, I have to admit, but we’re back.”

Gianni the destroyer
Of course Gianni Infantino is a fan of hydration breaks.
In a truly unsurprising turn of events, the Fifa president said the governing body could consider keeping them, despite the vocal backlash. England and Ghana fans loudly booed the stoppages during their encounter in Foxborough.
Opting to ignore the evidence of his own ears, the Swiss lawyer argued the breaks could in fact be providing more entertainment and were a positive development.
Worryingly, his comments suggest the Americanisation of football to four quarters is something he favours.
“Maybe the coach can reassess certain situations, correct certain mistakes. The players get a little rest and come back in full speed. Well, is that bad necessarily? Maybe it’s good,” Infantino told SNTV.
Proving that he’s obviously never really paid attention to football before, players attacking until the last second in search of a winner or equaliser is apparently a new thing for the 56-year-old.
“And we see as well the intensity of the games. We’ve never seen 90 minutes in a tournament like this played in such an intensity.
“Until the last second of the match, players attack and so on. And maybe, maybe not, but maybe it’s also a bit thanks to this little break that the players have and after they can go back on the field and show what they can do.”


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Fifa World Cup 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring Portugal’s first against Uzbekistan. Photo: dpa

England’s Harry Kane (left) blasts the ball over the bar. Photo: AP

England manager Thomas Tuchel gives instructions to Jude Bellingham during a hydration break. Photo: Reuters

Fifa World Cup: results, group tables, fixtures and kick-off times

Players stand on the field during Argentina’s Group J clash with Austria in Arlington, Texas. Photo: AP

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Chinese fans have suggested that Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha could sell products, coach youngsters or become a tourism ambassador for his country. Photo: TNS

Vozinha making one of his many saves against Spain in Cabo Verde’s opening match. Photo: Reuters

Referee Ma Ning, showing a yellow card to Ecuador’s Alcívar (right) in their match against Curacao, is China’s most prominent representative at the World Cup. Photo: Xinhua

Sport

Football

Cristiano Ronaldo makes history as first player to score in six World Cups as Portugal put five past Uzbekistan. Toothless England goalless


Cristiano Ronaldo makes history as first player to score in six World Cups as Portugal put five past Uzbekistan. Toothless England goalless.


Cristiano Ronaldo

Fifa

World Cup while you were sleeping: Ronaldo hits historic double, lucky England get draw

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Cristiano Ronaldo makes history as first player to score in six World Cups as Portugal put five past Uzbekistan. Toothless England goalless

Moments of extraordinary dullness

Cristiano Ronaldo makes history as first player to score in six World Cups as Portugal put five past Uzbekistan. Toothless England goalless