Cristiano Ronaldo’s swansong started in a rather concerning fashion as Portugal were held to a 1–1 draw by the DR Congo, and now Roberto Martinez’s side has quickly entered must-win territory.
The World Cup’s expansion and addition of an extra knockout round mean the Portuguese are not yet at risk of suffering a humiliating early exit, but they’d rather not need to panic on Matchday 3 against a sneaky-good Colombia outfit.
Portugal has the talent to win this tournament, but there‘s a ceiling on what it can achieve as long as it continues to function around a 41-year-old center forward who’s operating as an “Ozymandias”-like figure in the twilight of his career.
Next up for the Iberians is Fabio Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan, who was beaten 3–1 by Colombia in its first World Cup outing. DR Congo’s impressive defensive effort laid a blueprint, but you have to expect that the Portuguese will be much slicker and efficient with its usage of the ball on Matchday 2.
Here’s how to tune into Portugal’s must-win encounter with the tournament debutants.
What Time Does Portugal vs. Uzbekistan Kick Off?
- Location : Houston, Texas
- Stadium : NRG Stadium
- Date : Tuesday, June 23
- Kick-off Time : 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. BST
- Referee : Jalal Jayed (MAR)
How to Watch Portugal vs Uzbekistan on TV, Live Stream
English-language broadcasts are available via the FOX Network and fuboTV in the United States on Tuesday, while Telemundo offers the clash in Spanish.
TSN and RDS are the two broadcast options in Canada, with an array of TSN channels streaming Portugal’s second group game.
Those tuning in from Mexico also have a variety of options via Azteca 7, Azteca Deportes and ViX, while ITV1 and ITVX will be showing the contest in the United Kingdom. Scots can watch on STV and STV Player.
| Country | Broadcaster(s) |
|---|---|
| United States | FOX Network, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo |
| Canada | TSN+, TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, RDS App |
| Mexico | Azteca 7, Azteca Deportes en Vivo, ViX Mexico |
| United Kingdom | ITV1, ITV1X, STV, STV Player |
What’s Next for Portugal, Uzbekistan?
We could be in for a belter at the Hard Rock Stadium when Portugal locks horns with Colombia on June 27. If both teams prevail in their upcoming games, that fixture will decide who wins Group K.
Simultaneously, Uzbekistan’s group phase wraps up against the DR Congo in Atlanta. The Leopards will be within a shout of qualification after earning a point against Portugal, but Uzbekistan is likely going to need a result on Tuesday to preserve its hopes. Otherwise, Cannavaro’s side will need to prevail on Matchday 3 to progress as one of the eight best-performing third-place finishers.
