Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: Portugal has shown their strength in the 2026 World Cup by thrashing Uzbekistan by a huge margin of 5-0 goals. The Portuguese 'Navigators' are now flying with Cristiano Ronaldo's double goals and Nuno Mendes-Rafael Liao's attacking football. However, even after this big victory, according to football experts and analysts, coach Roberto Martinez's team will be able to win the World Cup this time, if and only if they can quickly overcome certain weaknesses and tactical deficiencies on the field. Despite showing a scoreline of 5-0 against an opponent like Uzbekistan, some scenes in the match are a big warning for Portugal. Why is the question of 'if' being raised? The main weaknesses of today's match:
1. Positional mistakes in the midfield and tendency to lose the ball In the first half of the match, some positional mistakes were seen between Portugal's midfield and defense. Joao Cancelo, in particular, lost the ball to Uzbek winger Abbosbek Faizullahyev in midfield. Cancelo's fatal mistake allowed Uzbekistan's Aziz Ganiev to put the ball into Portugal's net from 25 yards out in the 29th minute. Portugal survived the trip when VAR ruled out the goal due to a foul in the build-up. However, teams like France, Argentina or Brazil in the knockout stage will not hesitate to punish such mistakes. 2. Unnecessary defensive fouls and card practice Even after the match was completely under control, the Portuguese defenders showed a tendency to commit unnecessary fouls. The way Renato Veiga body-checked Aziz Ganiev in the 68th minute and showed him a yellow card was completely unnecessary. The entire team may have to pay the price for such a card in the later matches of the tournament. 3. Ball position and complacency Portugal felt a bit sluggish for a large part of the match (especially after the first hydration break and at the start of the second half). Whenever Uzbekistan tried to high-press, the Portuguese defenders panicked and resorted to back-passes or long balls. Despite winning the match 5-0, the lack of being more clinical in attack and maintaining control of the midfield for the full 90 minutes was evident today. What needs to be done to win the World Cup:
Portugal's squad depth is extraordinary. The way Rafael Liaora came off the bench and took control of the match is a dream for any coach.
But to touch the golden trophy, Martinez's team needs to meet the following three conditions: Midfield transition: To prevent the opposition from attacking quickly after losing the ball, the midfield blocking needs to be tightened. Reducing over-reliance on Ronaldo: Ronaldo's return to form is a boost for the team, but the rest of the forwards will have to shoulder equal responsibility in big matches.
This win against Uzbekistan will certainly give Portugal confidence, but if they are to become world champions, Roberto Martinez's team cannot afford to ignore the 'warning signs' they received today.