Uruguay 2-1 Portugal: Cavani Eliminates Ronaldo

Group A winners Uruguay played Group B runners up Portugal in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup.

Portugal talisman Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot outside of the box was easily saved by Uruguay’s goalkeeper Fernando Muslera in the 6th minute.

Every time Ronaldo touched the ball, the crowd went wild but Edinson Cavani silenced the crowd with a goal in the 7^th minute.

Cavani switched the play across the pitch to Luis Suarez who then crossed the ball to header the ball with his face into the goal to make it Uruguay 1-0 Portugal.

Suarez almost doubles Uruguay’s lead with a low freekick under the wall in the 22^nd minute but was pushed away by the Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

The first half ended with a lot of fouls by both sides and Portugal failing to convert their chances but equalised with a Pepe header in the 55^th minute.

From a short corner, Raphael Guerreiro crossed the ball into the box for Pepe to header into the goal net. The Uruguayan defence lost concentration for a moment which proved to be deadly.

However, Edinson Cavani scored again to take the lead which started from the goalkeeper where Rodrigo Bentancur took control of the ball and laid it off Cavani to curl it past the goalie in the 62^nd minute.

Portugal almost equalised in the 70^th minute when the Uruguayan goalkeeper made a mess with a catch and left the goal open for Bernardo Silva to take a shot but went over.

Goalscorer Cavani was forced off due to an injury in the 74^th minute which could have future implications for the team’s progression in the World Cup.

Portugal almost forced the game into extra time in the closing minutes of the game but Ricardo Quaresma’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

The game ended Uruguay 2-1 Portugal which means two of the greatest players of this generation Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will probably not feature in the next World Cup.

While Uruguay will progress to the quarter-finals playing against France.

Source of Image: BBC