After a draw in their opening match against the Democratic Republic of Congo (1-1), the team coached by Roberto Martínez will try to secure three points, which would allow them to face Colombia in the final round with greater peace of mind.

In a World Cup where the top two teams from each group advance, plus the eight best third-placed teams, a victory against Uzbekistan would put the Portuguese team in a good position to advance and even compete for first place in the group in the match against Colombia.

Presence of the Prime Minister

With Prime Minister Luís Montenegro attending the game, the Portuguese team will face Uzbekistan, which was beaten 3-1 by Colombia in the opening round and also needs points to maintain its hopes of qualifying for the next phase.

Injured Players

Defender Tomás Araújo, a starter in the opening match, is absent from the game due to physical problems, but Rúben Dias, who missed the first game due to injury, has recovered and should be in the starting line-up.

Given that the performance and result were far from satisfactory, it is not surprising that the coach will make further changes to the starting team, with Francisco Conceição or João Félix as candidates.

The game is scheduled for 23 June, at 6 pm Lisbon time, again at NRG Stadium in Houston, with Moroccan referee Jalad Jayed officiating.