Martinez insists Portugal feeling no pressure ahead of Uzbekistan match

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] had plenty ‌of the ball against the African side but produced ‌seven shots and only one on target - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neves-joao/hCbYVsXQ/"]Joao Neves[/a]'s sixth-minute ‌header.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-roberto/hrzqAZfH/"]Martinez[/a] said on Monday his players started that match ‌brightly but lost discipline and structure after the first 20 minutes - something they would improve on against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uzbekistan/EZYKKRMc/"]Uzbekistan[/a].[/p][p][b]"We are strong and focused," Martinez ‌said. "And our group is even more united ⁠than before. It is ‌a process. Tension is not part of our team.[/b][/p][p][b]"It’s normal to ​have criticism after a poor result. Sometimes it's unfair or negative, but it is not part of ​how we prepare."[/b][/p][image alt="Portugal - Uzbekistan win probability" id="d5cf31e6-c0a5-4490-aae2-f773ffe4620f" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="14cc372f-408e-4375-82a7-1acdf48a8cb9" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]All Portugal's players aside from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/araujo-tomas/jHAm0zFF/"]Tomas Araujo[/a] are available for the match, including Ruben Dias, who sat ⁠out the opener, he ​added.[/p][p]Martinez also defended [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ronaldo-cristiano/WGOY4FSt/"]Cristiano Ronaldo[/a], whose performance against Congo prompted calls for the 41-year-old to start on the bench against Uzbekistan.[/p][p][b]"We are a team that wants the ball," Martinez said. "We ‌want to defend and react quickly. We want to counterattack quickly. You need a player that opens up space with movement and Cristiano is one of the best to do that.[/b][/p][p][b]"He is a player who has been defending and playing for his country for a long time and he wants to keep improving for the team. He is really a role model for the team."[/b][/p][p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colombia/G02s4PCS/"]Colombia[/a] beating Uzbekistan ‌3-1 in their opening match to top Group K, Martinez ​said his team know a victory is important ‌to keep pace with the South Americans and secure a place in the knockout phase.[/p][p][b]"The feeling of disappointment is one we all have as a team," Martinez said. "Tomorrow I do feel like we will have a team ⁠that will be ready ⁠to perform for 90 ‌minutes at the level we have."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/portugal-WvJrjFVN/uzbekistan-EZYKKRMc/?mid=nRFcNx7D"]Follow the game with Flashscore.[/a][/p]