Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes delivered a superb display for Portugal against Uzbekistan at the World Cup on Tuesday.
Portugal registered a thumping 5-0 victory in Texas, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a brace and stealing the spotlight.
All eyes were firmly fixed on Ronaldo before kick-off and the veteran forward responded in emphatic fashion.
However, Portugal’s triumph was built on far more than just goals from their iconic captain.
Fernandes once again proved why he remains the heartbeat of both club and country.
The 31-year-old dictated proceedings with an impressive 94 touches and an outstanding 85% passing accuracy.
He also tested the goalkeeper twice and emerged victorious in all three of his aerial duels.
Fernandes is known for pulling the strings in midfield and that is exactly what he did against Uzbekistan.
He made the most out of a counterattacking opportunity by surging forward from midfield before releasing a perfectly weighted through ball into Ronaldo’s path at exactly the right moment.
Fernandes was unfortunate not to add another assist to his tally in the 58th minute.
The United skipper delivered a superb looping free-kick into the penalty area, where Ronaldo timed his run to perfection.
The former Real Madrid and Man United superstar struck the volley but was denied by the goalkeeper.
After two minutes, Fernandes delivered the cross from the corner that resulted in an own goal.
The midfield maestro had a key role in the fifth goal. He spotted Nelson Semedo’s intelligent run down the right flank and immediately picked him out with a precise pass.
Semedo’s delivery was deflected into the path of Rafael Leao, who made no mistake with the finish.
It was a sparkling performance from Fernandes and United supporters will be hoping their trusted star can maintain this level next season.
_Stats from Sofascore.com_
