Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 in their second Group K match at the World Cup, making history in the process. Moments after the final whistle, Ronaldo turned to a TV camera and roared: "I'm back, I'm back!"
Historic Feat and Dominant Display
Within six minutes, Ronaldo became the first player ever to score in six different World Cups. Nuno Mendes doubled the lead before Ronaldo coolly slotted Bruno Fernandes' through ball into the far corner to make it 3-0. Portugal's fourth came when a low cross deflected off Abdukodir Khusanov and Abduvohid Nematov into the net. Rafael Leao added a fifth four minutes from time.
Reaction from Pundits
Roy Keane said: "Cristiano Ronaldo was never gone. He is the man. What is up with everybody? Doubted genius." Wayne Rooney added: "At 41 to score two goals at the World Cup is incredible. He didn't have the best game, but this is what he does. He's taken a bit of criticism, and this is how he responds."
Martinez's Pre-Match Confidence
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez faced criticism for not substituting Ronaldo in the 1-1 draw with DR Congo, where Ronaldo had only 25 touches and missed two chances. But before the Uzbekistan match, Martinez said: "We are playing a World Cup, so of course we have a lot of noise and tension, but it's part of the game. The team is even more united than before."
