Bruno Fernandes scores a cross within the 54th minute and converts a spot kick in stoppage time to place Portugal to the FIFA World Cup knockout phases
A second half brace from Bruno Fernandes despatched Portugal via to the final 16 of the World Cup on Monday (Tuesday, November 29, Manila time), becoming a member of France and Brazil after a 2-0 win that outclassed an uninspiring Uruguay aspect that struggled to get into the match.
Fernandes scored first with a cross supposed for Cristiano Ronaldo that sailed fortuitously into the web on 54 minutes and transformed a spot kick in stoppage time to place his aspect into the knockout phases with a match remaining.
Ronaldo celebrated the primary aim ecstatically as his personal and smiled awkwardly when it was introduced as belonging to Fernandes, who all the time regarded threatening on the assault and twice got here near finishing a hat-trick within the dying moments.
Portugal had the lion’s share of the possession and dominated for many of the Group H match in Lusail, however struggled to create possibilities till the second half in a recreation the place Uruguay regarded out of types and missing initiative.
It was the third time at a World Cup that Portugal had gained two successive group stage matches and the earlier two instances led to streaks into the semi-finals.
The end result leaves Uruguay with a troublesome closing match towards Ghana, who saved themselves in competition by beating South Korea 3-2 within the earlier Group H match.
Ronaldo set the tone with some showboating early on when he used a shoulder to redirect a protracted throw into the trail of William Carvalho, whose highly effective volley sailed over the bar.
Portugal regarded threatening on the strategy however struggled to create goalscoring possibilities, with Bernardo Silva, Fernandes and Joao Felix annoyed early on.
Nevertheless it was Uruguay with the perfect likelihood of the half 32 minutes in when Rodrigo Bentancur ran half the size of the sector, skipping round three defenders earlier than firing off a low shot that was blocked by the advancing keeper Diogo Costa.
Bentancur got here shut once more a couple of minutes later when his outstretched leg met a cross from the left from Mathias Olivera, trickling via to Darwin Nunez who did not convert from shut vary.
Portugal battled onerous for a aim and at last broke the impasse 9 minutes after the break when Fernandes’ cross floated previous Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, who was rooted to his line as Ronaldo rose to move dwelling ball however fell brief.
Uruguay had a short and determined rally to attempt to get again into the match after a raft of attacking substitutions, with Facundo Pellistri making an immediate affect, Luis Suarez coming shut and Maxi Gomez blasting his shot into the submit.
However the match belonged to Portugal and Fernandes, who coolly transformed a penalty in stoppage time after a handball within the field that required a VAR evaluate.
Hungry for extra, Fernandes nearly scored a 3rd along with his effort saved on the close to submit by Rochet and a strike in the previous couple of moments that cannoned off the submit.
“I’ve received to offer the staff credit score. It was a superb factor. I needed to maintain the staff stable. We clearly confirmed a really sturdy unit, each within the high quality of the sport and within the bond between them,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos stated.
“That’s how constructive issues are achieved. We’ll all the time work like this.”
Requested concerning the confusion over who scored the primary aim, Santos laughed and stated: “It was an amazing match. Our staff performed very effectively and the remainder doesn’t matter.”
Giorgian de Arrascaeta, who among the many substitutes introduced on to attempt to give Uruguay a shot at an equaliser, stated the staff would want to go all out to qualify.
“Now we have one recreation left and now we have to go for it,” de Arrascaeta stated.
“Doubtless, now we have to win come what might.” – Rappler.com
