Portugal will be looking to get their World Cup 2026 campaign firmly back on track when they face Uzbekistan at NRG Stadium in Houston on Tuesday, after being held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their Group K opener.
Roberto Martínez’s side sit third in the group after matchday one and are already under pressure to respond, while tournament debutants Uzbekistan are on the brink after a 3-1 defeat to Colombia left them needing a positive result to avoid early elimination.
Match Preview
Portugal arrived at the tournament among the favourites, but their opening display fell below expectations as they struggled to break down DR Congo in a match that ended level after Yoane Wissa cancelled out João Neves’ early opener.
Much of the post-match attention has centred on Cristiano Ronaldo, who endured a quiet outing and failed to register a shot on target despite playing the full 90 minutes. At 41, the Portugal captain remains a focal point, but questions continue to be raised about his influence at this level.
Martínez will expect a far more clinical and dominant performance in Houston, especially with Portugal boasting one of the deepest attacking squads in the competition. Anything less than victory here would seriously complicate their path to the knockout stages.
Uzbekistan, meanwhile, are experiencing their first-ever World Cup campaign and have already shown moments of promise despite defeat to Colombia. They found the net through Abbosbek Fayzullaev, who scored the nation’s first World Cup goal, but defensive lapses and a lack of attacking presence for long spells proved costly.
Fabio Cannavaro’s side struggled to impose themselves early on, registering minimal threat in the opening half, but they will take encouragement from their response after falling behind and will hope to build on those flashes against Portugal.
Form Guide
Portugal World Cup form:
D
Portugal form (all competitions):
W D W W W D
Uzbekistan World Cup form:
L
Uzbekistan form (all competitions):
L W W L L L
Team News
Portugal could welcome back Rúben Dias after he missed the opener through a minor fitness issue, although Martínez may opt to protect him given the depth available in defence. João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, and João Neves are expected to retain their places in a strong starting XI.
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to lead the attack once again despite criticism, while Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva will continue to provide creativity in midfield and advanced areas.
For Uzbekistan, head coach Fabio Cannavaro is likely to stick with his core defensive structure, with Utkir Yusupov in goal and Abdukodir Khusanov anchoring the backline. Abbosbek Fayzullaev, scorer of their first-ever World Cup goal, is expected to start again in attack alongside Eldor Shomurodov.
Predicted Lineups
Portugal possible XI:
Costa; Cancelo, António Silva, Rúben Dias, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes; Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Cristiano Ronaldo
Uzbekistan possible XI:
Yusupov; Khusanov, Ashurmatov, Abdullaev; Karimov, Mozgovoy, Shukurov, Nasrullaev; Fayzullaev, Urunov; Shomurodov
Prediction
Portugal’s quality, experience, and attacking depth should ultimately prove too strong, but they will need to improve significantly on their opening display to make this a comfortable night.
Uzbekistan have shown enough spirit to suggest they can compete in phases, but sustaining that level across 90 minutes against elite opposition remains their biggest challenge.
We say: Portugal 3-0 Uzbekistan
