Izuchukwu OkosiUruguay’s listless World Cup performance continued on Monday evening with a 2-0 defeat against Group H favorites Portugal.
Uruguay risk elimination from the tournament unless they defeat Ghana who have a score to settle with them following the defeat of the West Africans at quarterfinals stage of the tournament in 2010.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelOn that occasion, Luis Suarez denied Ghana a goal-bound strike by using his hand to stop the ball from hitting the back of the net.
Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan – who is now a TV pundit – blasted his ensuing penalty wide while in the shootout, Ghana lost to the South Americans.
In a close contest decided by two goals from man-of-the-match Bruno Fernandes on Monday night, Uruguay now run the risk of being eliminated in the tournament’s first round.
READ ALSO: Portugal Edges Past Ghana, Ronaldo Earns World Cup Goals Record
Fernandes targeted superstar Cristiano Ronaldo with a cross nine minutes into the second half, and Uruguay’s keeper Sebastián Rochet was left flat-footed as the ball crept into the net untouched for the opener — although Ronaldo celebrated as if he had scored.
Later on, Portugal won a penalty after a controversial handball from José Maria Giménez. Fernandes stepped up and coolly slotted his spot kick into the net, sending Rochet the wrong way.
The ball hit Giménez’s supporting arm as he sought to block a Fernandes pass — the International Football Association Board rules are explicit in saying such incidents should not be penalized.
With that outcome, Portugal joined champions France as only guaranteed teams to reach the round of 16 stage, even before the group matches end on Friday, December 2, 2022.
The last round of group matches will begin on Tuesday with 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. kick offs.
There have been shocking results at this year’s edition of the World Cup with most of the qualification places not yet decided until the end of the group this weekend.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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