Portuguese talisman Cristiano Ronaldo is back on a day that saw England stutter and Croatia rediscover their rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forty-one-year-old signaled that he cannot be disregarded after a poor openinf game, when he led by style to see Portuga; thrash Uzbekistan 5-0 in their Group K Fifa World Cup tie in Houston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was Uzbekistan’s second consecutive defeat and it left the debutants staring at elimination as Ronaldo became the first player to score in six FIFA World Cup campaigns with the captain striking twice as Portugal bounced back in style from their 1-1 draw with Congo DR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ronaldo’s goal after six minutes made history – trumping even Lionel Messi – by scoring at six FIFA World Cups stretching back to 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus ace pulled out his trademark “Siu” celebration and let out a throaty roar in front of 68,777 fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was 2-0 on 17 minutes when Mendes curled in a free-kick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uzbekistan thought they had pulled one back, after a screamer by Azizjon Ganiev, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR intervention for a foul on Cancelo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was Ronaldo’s day, and he rolled in a third in the 39th minute with only the goalkeeper to beat with a smart, controlled finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He might have had a third following an intricate freekick routine, but Nematov denied him, clattering into the veteran attacker in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the resulting corner it was 4-0, with Ronaldo in the thick of it again before the ball went in off Nematov for an own goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Substitute Rafael Leao scored an emphatic fifth in the 87th minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Portugal bounced back in style, England suffered a setback as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Ghana, leaving them with work still do as they bid to progress to the knockout stage as Group L winners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nico O’Reilly came closest to scoring with a late header for England that hit the bar, but after the promise of their opening 4-2 win over Croatia, this was a performance that will raise doubts as to their chances of going all the way and winning the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They dominated possession and had 19 shots to their opponents’ two, yet rarely looked like scoring past Ghana’s stand-in goalkeeper Benjamin Asare in a match watched by 63,983 fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both teams have four points with one game still to play in Group L, with progression to the next round all but assured but their final positions still in the balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asare of local side Hearts of Oak started in goal for the Ghanaians after coming on for the injured Lawrence Ati Zigi against Panama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
England’s inability to regularly test him will be a source of concern, as Harry Kane was kept quiet and failed to add to his 10 FIFA World Cup goals – he remains level with Gary Lineker for now as their all-time top scorer at the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon were unable to make the difference on the wings and their substitutes could not this time have a decisive impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jude Bellingham won his 50th cap as Marc Guehi and Djed Spence replaced John Stones and O’Reilly in the defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Declan Rice free-kick that sailed just over was about as close as England came in the opening half. In fact it took almost an hour for Asare to make a notable save, but it was a comfortable one to deny Gordon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ghana may feel Jordan Pickford should have been punished for charging out of his box and crashing into Prince Adu without touching the ball – but instead the goalkeeper was given a free-kick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was also panic for England when substitute Adu ran through into the area but could not get a shot away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then the pressure was turned up a notch in the closing minutes, as Asare denied Bukayo Saka with a good stop low to his left before O’Reilly headed off the woodwork from close range and Kane blazed over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Panama were eliminated from the tournament after Croatia kept their hopes of progressing to the last 32 alive with a hard-fought 1-0 win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Croatia, who made it to the last four of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, were looking to bounce back after their opening Group L match, a 4-2 defeat to England in Dallas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the end, Ante Budimir’s 54th minute goal proved enough to see off the spirited Central Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Croatia’s most celebrated player, Luka Modric, was making his 200th international appearance, but his early headed effort on goal sailed over the bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under Danish-born coach Thomas Christiansen, Panama have implemented a tight defensive structure that helped them secure their second-ever FIFA World Cup appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it was the Panamanian offence that almost made the difference in the first half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the 23rd minute Jose Luis Rodriguez guided a header towards goal but the outstretched fingertips of Croatian ‘keeper Dominik Livakovic redirected the ball off the bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second half marked a clear momentum shift and the capacity crowd of 43,000 in Toronto with a strong Croatian majority erupted when Budimir tapped in a cross from Josip Stanisic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Croatia should have been two up minutes later, when a perfectly weighted pass from Modric sent Marco Pasalic alone speeding towards goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pasalic’s first effort was stopped by keeper Orlando Mosquera and although the rebound came back to him he blasted an off-balance second attempt well over the bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Panama kept pressing for the equalizer but they ultimately failed to find the net, extending their World Cup goalless streak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They face England in what will be their final match of the tournament on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Croatia have three points and will face Ghana, who moved onto four points after holding England to a goalless draw earlier, for a place in the final 32.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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