Portugal were in front inside six minutes, Ronaldo converting with J. Cancelo providing the assist, and the game was effectively over as a contest before the half-hour mark. N. Mendes added a second in the 17th minute, and Ronaldo's second — set up by B. Fernandes — made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time. Uzbekistan had a brief moment of hope when A. Ganiev found the net in the 29th minute, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for a foul. A. Nematov's own goal on the hour extended the margin, and R. Leão, introduced from the bench, completed the rout with the fifth in the 87th minute. Portugal's 17 shots to Uzbekistan's seven reflected the one-sided nature of the contest throughout.

The scale of the victory gives Portugal a commanding position in Group K from the outset. A five-goal winning margin and a clean sheet represent the best possible start in terms of goal difference, which can prove decisive in a group stage where multiple teams may finish level on points. Portugal's xG of 2.44 against Uzbekistan's 0.24 underlines the gap in quality; they scored well above expectation, a sign of clinical finishing rather than fortune. Uzbekistan, who managed just two shots on target across 90 minutes, face a steep climb to remain competitive in the group and will need considerably more attacking output in their remaining fixtures.