Mukau Says 41-Year-Old Ronaldo Is Not the Same After Portugal's 1-1 Draw
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 18
Mukau Says 41-Year-Old Ronaldo Is Not the Same After Portugal's 1-1 Draw
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 18
Summary
DR Congo midfielder Mukau said Portugal had no special plan for Cristiano Ronaldo because the 41-year-old "isn't the same as before" after the teams drew 1-1 in Houston.
25 touches in 90 minutes underlined Ronaldo's quiet night — his lowest total in a major tournament match he completed — and he has now gone 10 straight World Cup and Euros games without a goal from 33 shots.
Roberto Martinez defended keeping Ronaldo on the pitch, saying Portugal needed the captain's experience, penalty-box presence and ability to draw defenders while chasing a winner.
Yoane Wissa's equalizer earned DR Congo their first World Cup point, while Portugal's stuttering Group K start left more pressure before matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia.