2014 FIFA World Cup
Group D
Full Time: Uruguay 2-1 England
Date: 19 June 2014
Venue: Arena Corinthians
A brace from Luis Suarez handed Uruguay a 2-1 win over England in their Group D, 2014 FIFA World Cup match at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo on Thursday night.
The result sees England at the bottom of Group D and Uruguay up to third with Italy in second while Costa Rica are on top.
Mathematically, England can still qualify form the group, but if Italy and Costa Rica draw their next match the Three Lions will be out.
It was a high paced opening 45 minutes with the first effort on goal coming in the fourth minute when Suarez tried to curl home a corner-kick, but Joe Hart was alert to the danger at the near post and punched the attempt away.
Wayne Rooney had England’s first effort on goal in the tenth minute when his 22-yard free-kick shaved the wrong side of the left-hand post.
Five minutes later some poor defending by England allowed Cristian Rodriguez a free shot 16-yards out, but he blazed narrowly over under no pressure.
In the 27th minute Edinson Cavani came close for Uruguay when he met a corner-kick, but his 14-yard volley went just wide of the target.
Four minutes later Rooney should have scored when he met a left-side free-kick from Steven Gerrard, but he headed the ball onto the crossbar from a couple of yards out.
More bad defending by England then cost them five minutes before the break when a loss of possession on the half way line saw Uruguay break out and score the game’s first goal courtesy of a Luis Suarez header after meeting a Cavani cross from the left, 1-0.
The second half saw Uruguay start the better team and Cavani should have doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when Suarez played him through on goal, but with just the keeper to beat he shot wide from eight-yards out.
Two minutes later Rooney met a low left wing cross from Leighton Baines, but the Uruguay keeper produced a great stop to deny the English striker from ten-yards out.
England continued to press forward and were rewarded with the equaliser in the 75th minute when Rooney tapped home a low Glen Johnson cross from a couple of yards out, 1-1.
Ten minutes later, however, and England’s World Cup hopes were virtually extinguished when a route one ball from the Uruguayan keeper saw Suarez in behind the Three Lions defence and he made no mistake by thumping the ball past Hart from ten-yards, 2-1.
The result sees Uruguay claim their first three points of the tournament while England remains rooted to the bottom of Group D.
Barring a miracle England are virtually out of the World Cup after losing their opening two matches.
