Uzbekistan’s World Cup has moved north, from the thin air of Mexico City to the sealed dome of Houston’s NRG Stadium, where Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo and a crowd of number seven shirts await.
On paper, the move should help. The roof at Houston’s NRG Stadium will remain closed throughout the tournament, with air conditioning protecting the temporary grass pitch as much as the players. Outside, the Texas midday heat will feel closer to Tashkent, only with the Gulf humidity added in.
Uzbekistan have already learned that the World Cup offers little time for romance. Their 3-1 defeat to Colombia was more respectable than the scoreline suggested, but mistakes that might have escaped punishment in qualifying...
