BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK

Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a stunning response to his critics on Tuesday, scoring twice to become the first player in history to find the net in six FIFA World Cups as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 in a Group K clash in Houston.

The 41-year-old captain, whose place in the Portuguese team had come under scrutiny after a 10-match goal drought in major international tournaments, rolled back the years with a clinical display that helped Portugal bounce back emphatically from their disappointing 1-1 draw with DR Congo.

After the final whistle, a visibly emotional Ronaldo turned towards the television cameras and shouted: “I’m back, I’m back,” a declaration that summed up both his relief and defiance after weeks of criticism.

His brace took his World Cup tally to 10 goals, moving him ahead of Portuguese legend Eusebio as his country’s all-time leading scorer at football’s biggest tournament.

While the records continued to tumble, Ronaldo insisted that Portugal’s resurgence mattered more than personal milestones.

“The team performed really well and improved a lot,” he said after the match.

“As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Obviously, speaking personally, records are always nice, but my goal is always to help the national team achieve its objectives.”

Portugal’s dominant performance was built on relentless attacking football from the opening whistle. Determined to erase memories of their frustrating first outing, Roberto Martinez’s men overwhelmed the World Cup debutants with pace, movement and precision.

Ronaldo opened the scoring after just six minutes, arriving at the near post to convert a low cross from Joao Cancelo.

The veteran striker then doubled his tally before halftime, calmly placing Bruno Fernandes’ perfectly weighted pass into the far corner.

The goals sparked emotional celebrations. After opening his account, Ronaldo sprinted to the touchline where he was mobbed by teammates, while coach Roberto Martinez watched with a broad smile from the technical area.

Between Ronaldo’s strikes came one of the match’s most memorable moments. Nuno Mendes curled in a brilliant free-kick after Portugal cleverly used Ronaldo as a decoy, fooling both goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov and much of the crowd.

Uzbekistan briefly thought they had found a route back into the contest when Azizjon Ganiev produced a superb finish following the first hydration break. However, the goal was ruled out after a VAR review identified a foul on Cancelo in the build-up.

The second half brought no respite for the Central Asians.

An unfortunate Nematov fumbled the ball into his own net for Portugal’s fourth goal before Rafael Leao completed the rout late on in front of a packed crowd of 68,777 spectators.

Portugal finished with 17 attempts on goal, eight of them on target, and could easily have scored more as teammates repeatedly searched for opportunities to complete Ronaldo’s hat-trick.

Martinez praised his players for showing greater maturity and composure after the lessons learned from their opening match.

“This was the response we had in the dressing room,” the Portugal coach said.

“There are times when you need a game like the first one in order to grow in the tournament.

“Today we saw a team with the same attitude and commitment, but with greater maturity because it was no longer the opening match.”

The emphatic victory moves Portugal onto four points from two matches and leaves qualification for the knockout stage firmly within reach ahead of a decisive final group encounter against Colombia.

For Uzbekistan, meanwhile, a second consecutive defeat leaves them on the brink of elimination before their final Group K fixture against DR Congo.

But the night belonged to Ronaldo.

At an age when most players have long retired, the Portuguese icon once again demonstrated his enduring ability to influence the biggest stage, rewriting World Cup history while reminding the football world that he is far from finished.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK

England will look to secure their place in the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds when they take on Ghana in a Group-stage clash that could also see captain Harry Kane write another chapter in the nation’s football history.

Kane enters the match level with Gary Lineker as England’s highest scorer in FIFA World Cup history, with 10 goals apiece. A goal against Ghana would see the Bayern Munich striker become England’s outright leading marksman on football’s biggest stage.

The Three Lions will, however, face a Ghanaian side that has developed a reputation for attacking football at the World Cup. The Black Stars have scored in eight of their last nine matches in the competition and will be confident of troubling England’s defence.

With both sides chasing valuable points, the encounter promises an intriguing battle between England’s experience and Ghana’s flair and resilience.

For Kane, the match presents an opportunity to add another record to a glittering international career. For Ghana, it offers the chance to claim a statement victory against one of the tournament favourites.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK

Croatia captain Luka Modrić is poised to reach another remarkable milestone when the Vatreni face Panama in their latest FIFA World Cup fixture.

The veteran midfielder is expected to make his 200th international appearance, becoming one of the few players in world football to achieve the feat. The landmark match further underlines the enduring influence of the Real Madrid legend, who continues to be the heartbeat of the Croatian team.

Croatia will start as favourites against a Panama side still searching for a breakthrough result against European opposition at the World Cup. The Central Americans previously faced Belgium and England during their debut campaign in Russia in 2018 and lost both encounters.

Panama will be eager to upset the odds and keep their hopes alive, but Croatia’s blend of experience and tournament know-how makes them formidable opponents.

All eyes, however, will be on Modrić as he celebrates a historic personal milestone while seeking to guide his country another step closer to the knockout phase.

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