India, June 24 -- Cristiano Ronaldo is back, and once again, he has responded to his critics in the only way he knows how - by scoring goals. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner went into the clash against Uzbekistan under intense scrutiny, and the relief on his face after opening the scoring said it all. Questions had been raised about his age, his influence, and whether he could still make a difference at the highest level. Ronaldo answered them emphatically with a clinical brace. Ahead of the match, Ronaldo was enduring a 10-game goal drought for Portugal in major international tournaments, having failed to score across the World Cup and European Championship stages.

The fixture arrived at the perfect moment for Portugal's captain. Uzbek...