As Portugal and Uzbekistan went head-to-head on Tuesday, a high-level strategy worked out perfectly.
Just 11 minutes after Cristiano Ronaldo put Portugal on the board with his first goal of the World Cup, a high-IQ tactic opened up the lead even further.
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In prime scoring position on a free kick, everyone watching believed Ronaldo would be taking the shot.
Instead, he was used as a decoy to throw off the opposition, allowing Nuno Mendes to send the ball straight into the left corner of the net and push the lead to 2-0.
The impressive move was the second of a three-goal outburst from Portugal in just the first half alone.
Ronaldo went on to score his second goal of the day in the 39th minute, further quieting the concerns that he would struggle in this tournament.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
