- Bruno Fernandes strikes twice for Portugal win
- The defeat leaves Uruguay needing Ghana victory for chance of progress
- Portuguese third team into last 16 after France and Brazil
Portugal 2-0 Uruguay | Group H Match review
Goals: Bruno Fernandes (54, 90+3 pen)
Bruno Fernandes struck a second-half double for Portugal to avenge their 2018 defeat by Uruguay and join heavyweight duo France and Brazil in the FIFA World Cup Qatar Round of 16.
Rodrigo Bentancur had the best chance of a tense first half, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder weaving between Ruben Dias and Nuno Mendes only to be denied at close quarters by Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Joao Felix shot into the side netting after 52 minutes but Fernando Santos’s team broke through soon after when Fernandes lifted in a cross that travelled past Sergio Rochet in Uruguay’s goal, with Cristiano Ronaldo straining to make contact.
Uruguay sent for the cavalry, and a trio of substitutes had opportunities of varying degrees of difficulty to level. Maxi Gomez thudded a first-time 18-yarder into the upright, Giorgian de Arrascaeta could manage only a tame attempt when clean through, enabling Costa to save, and Luis Suarez controlled and shot in one movement but rippled the outside of the net.
Fernandes was presented with the chance to wrap up the points when the luckless Jose Maria Gimenez was penalised for a handball in the box. And the Manchester United player, who would thud the post with a hat-trick attempt, rolled his penalty into the bottom left corner to confirm Portugal’s smooth passage out of Group H.
Key moment
Uruguay will rue the moment they granted Fernandes the freedom to turn and size up a delivery from the left after 54 minutes. Really, the South Americans should have known better.
Ever since Cody Gakpo met Frenkie de Jong’s flighted left-wing ball to open the scoring in the Netherlands’ meeting with Senegal seven days ago, a pattern has emerged at this tournament of players ghosting in to convert crosses lifted in from the left flank.
Only today, Mohammed Kudus met a centre from Jordan Ayew to put Ghana two goals in front against Korean Republic. Abdelhamid Sabiri’s free-kick from the left, touched home by Romain Saiss, provided the launchpad for Morocco’s victory over Belgium on Sunday.
You get the idea. Uruguay, however, were slow to cotton on when Fernandes spun to send the ball into the danger zone. Ronaldo was the target, and the debate over whether the 37-year-old applied a touch continues online.
What is beyond doubt, however, is the ball ended up in the back of Rochet’s net. These teams were always going to be separated by tiny margins. The difference between winning and losing, however, was huge. Portugal is in the last 16 with a game to spare. Uruguay must beat Ghana on Friday for any hope of joining them.
Key stats
Portugal’s Pepe became the oldest outfield player for a European team at the FIFA World Cup at the age of 39 years and 275 days.
Five players aged 35 and over appeared in the game – Pepe (39), Cristiano Ronaldo (37), Diego Godin (36), Luis Suarez (35) and Edinson Cavani (35) – the most in any World Cup match to date.
