Portugal seek sharper edge against Uzbeks
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HOUSTON (Texas): Portugal had plenty of the ball in their World Cup opener but little bite and Roberto Martinez’s side return to Houston on Tuesday needing a sharper attacking display against Uzbekistan after a frustrating 1-1 draw with Democratic Republic of Congo.
The numbers told a familiar cautionary tale. According to Opta, Portugal completed 783 passes against the Africans.
Yet all that control produced seven shots and only one on target Joao Neves’s sixth-minute header.
For a team carrying high expectations around Cristiano Ronaldo and an array of attacking options, the struggle came not in circulation of the ball but in the final third, where creativity, decision-making and finishing deserted them.
Martinez will hope for a more ruthless display against an Uzbekistan side beaten 3-1 by Colombia in their first-ever World Cup match.
Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro said the occasion weighed heavily on his players.
“I told them they were too nervous. That’s why, in the end, they focused so much on defending,” he said. Ronaldo, who played the full match in the opener and came in for criticism, remains central to Portugal’s story at 41.
“Cristiano is an example because of his career, because of the hunger he still has at his age,” winger Francisco Conceicao said.
Colombia, meanwhile, will look to build on a winning start when they face DR Congo on Tuesday.
The scoreline against Uzbekistan masked a difficult second half in which their opponents exposed vulnerabilities that they will be keen to address.
A win would secure Colombia a place in the round of 32 and could be enough to seal top spot in the group if Portugal fail to beat Uzbekistan.
All eyes will again be on Luis Diaz, who delivered a goal and an assist against Uzbekistan. Lorenzo will also hope for a greater influence from captain James Rodriguez.
DR Congo arrive with confidence after earning a surprise 1-1 draw against Portugal in their first World Cup match for more than half a century.
The Congolese will likely adopt a similarly compact approach against Colombia, whose attacking quality presents a different challenge but whose defensive lapses against Uzbekistan may offer encouragement.
“Congo play more in transition, with long balls and quick breaks. It’s going to be a very difficult match for us,” Lorenzo said.
Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2026
