Ronaldo and Portugal battle Colombia for Group K top spot as World Cup round of 32 looms
Portugal can leapfrog group leaders Colombia with a win at Hard Rock Stadium, setting up a potential quarterfinal clash between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Group K showdown
Portugal and Colombia meet tonight in Miami with the winner finishing on top of Group K. Colombia lead with six points from two wins; Portugal are on four after a draw with DR Congo and a 5-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan. A draw is enough for Colombia, but Portugal must win to grab first place and avoid a tough last-32 matchup.
It was a difficult, dark week; it felt like I'd already retired from football. But I held on as I always do because I believe more in hard work than in football.
Ronaldo's record stretch
Ronaldo scored twice in that Uzbekistan rout, becoming the first man to score in six different World Cups. The 41-year-old now has 10 career World Cup goals and silenced critics who questioned his form after a flat opening draw. Should Portugal win, they would land on the same side of the draw as Lionel Messi's Argentina, making a quarterfinal meeting on July 11 a live possibility.
The Bruno Fernandes factor
In any other side, Bruno Fernandes would be the star attraction. The Manchester United playmaker broke the Premier League assist record with 21 last term and set up Ronaldo's second against Uzbekistan with a laser-weighted pass. His ability to read spaces and break defensive lines gives Portugal a second dimension.
Miami heat and the storm threat
Hard Rock Stadium will be warm: forecasts put the temperature at 87°F (31°C) at the 7:30 pm kick-off, dropping to about 83°F by full time with only a slight thunderstorm chance. The tournament has already seen one lengthy delay when lightning suspended France vs Iraq for over two hours, but meteorologists expect only isolated storms tonight.
Free streams and global audience
The match is available free-to-air in dozens of countries: BBC iPlayer in the UK, SBS in Australia, RTP Play in Portugal, CazéTV's YouTube in Brazil, and FOX over the air in the United States. A VPN helps fans abroad unlock their home streams.
- Colombia
- 6
- Portugal
- 4
- DR Congo
- 1
- Uzbekistan
- 0
What's at stake
The group winner faces a third-place finisher from another group, while the runner-up meets the second-place team from Group L. For Portugal, top spot means a lighter path and the psychological boost of staying on a collision course with Argentina. Colombia, however, have a huge support base in Miami and need only a point to finish first.
God helps those who work hard.... It's already 23 years I've been a professional and whenever things don't go well it's: 'Cristiano, he's finished, he's old.' But well, it was a good response from me and my teammates.
