Portugal vs. Uzbekistan: Roberto Martinez's side backed to record much-needed win at 2026 World Cup

Ahead of Portugal's cardinal 2026 World Cup clash with Uzbekistan, Sports Mole's Football Editor Matt Law discusses whether determination could beryllium a daze effect connected the cards.

Matt Law, Football Editor: "I inactive deliberation Portugal would beryllium among the favourites"

We each said aft Spain's archetypal crippled that we expected them to triumph good successful their second, and that was the case. I don't think Portugal volition beryllium rather arsenic convincing arsenic Spain were, due to the fact that that was a really good performance. 

But I'd be stunned if Portugal didn't win this game. Martinez's post-match quotes were interesting. 

He suggested that the aboriginal extremity for Portugal worked against them, which is not generally the case astatine immoderate level of football. If you commencement good and score, that's generally the idea of the game. 

There are nary accustomed drawbacks to getting an aboriginal goal. To suggest that the aboriginal extremity worked against them was a small spot strange. 

Martinez is not overly affectional successful his property conferences pre or post-match, truthful I didn't expect him to beryllium peculiarly ruffled astir what happened. The constituent astir Ronaldo is interesting. 

It reminded maine of subordinate vocation mode successful FIFA oregon Be a Pro, those modes wherever you are that 1 subordinate and you have to try and get successful positions for your teammates to walk to you. 

Teammates ever looking for the walk into Ronaldo is not generally something you spot astatine that level of football, truthful it was a small spot bizarre. I deliberation Ronaldo does start again and I don't think Martinez pulls him retired of the team. 

I inactive deliberation Portugal would beryllium among the favourites. I've ne'er truly fancied them to triumph the tournament, but I deliberation they'll inactive bash truly well. 

I think they'll win this crippled and get into the adjacent round. It's always difficult making comparisons betwixt planetary managers and nine managers leaving. 

If players person a adjacent narration with a nine manager, determination is ever the imaginable to travel them, but with planetary shot it is much astir the state and the garment than the manager. 

International managers ever travel and go, and you aren't seeing them each day. I wouldn't put excessively overmuch accent connected that. 

We cognize Deschamps is leaving, and that is antithetic successful the consciousness that helium has been determination a portion and has had success. Pochettino's declaration is besides perchance ending with the USA. 

It could beryllium utilized arsenic a small spot of an excuse for however Portugal person performed frankincense far. I bash expect them to triumph this crippled and get done to the adjacent stage, and past the Ronaldo questions volition proceed to grow. 

This is probably a decent crippled for Ronaldo to score, with the top of respect to Uzbekistan. It's probably a decent crippled for him to nick 1 oregon 2 and instrumentality the unit off. There volition beryllium large unit connected him if he doesn't score and has different mediocre game. 

Martinez is nether a small spot of unit himself, but as he's leaving anyway, it's either a last hurrah oregon the imaginable for a existent disappointment.