Thursday, 19th June
Group D
 Uruguay
vs  England
in Sao Paulo.
Match Preview
Uruguay and England have met twice in FIFA World Cup finals
competition before; in the quarter-finals of Switzerland
1954 and group stage of England 1966.
More recently, England beat Uruguay (2:1) in Liverpool, prior to Germany 2006.
The Match
After losing their opening games, the knockout stage starts early
for Uruguay and England.
The winner might not be guaranteed a place in the second round, but
the loser would be as good as out. Let's not get started on the merits of a draw.
England go for stability while Uruguay make five changes from the
Costa Rica game; one, of course, the introduction of Luis Suarez.
The game started with plenty of movement; the drop in temperature a
help but an early corner by Luis Suarez revealed a moment of vulnerability at Joe Hart's
near post.
Uruguay looked better than they did against Costa Rica and England not
as effective as they did against Italy.
Diego Godin was lucky to remain on the pitch in the 29th minute, when
he should have been booked for a block, with the arm, on Sturridge. It would have been his
second yellow card.
From the free-kick, it was - ironically - Godin who cleared the ball.
Wayne Rooney came close shortly after, as England hit the bar, but Roy
Hodgson's men never really looked convincing enough; Wayne Rooney, still without a World
Cup Finals goal.
1:0
England soon paid the price for not winning enough challenges, giving the ball away
carelessly and not picking up Luis Suarez.
With five England players running back, no-one closed down Edinson
Cavani and no-one picked up Luis Suarez; who slipped in behind and nodded at the ball in
gratitude.
Raheem Sterling almost replied at the other end but Fernando Muslera
had his near post covered; for the price of a corner.
Half-time: Uruguay 1 - England 0
At the start of the second-half, Suarez almost caught Joe Hart out at
the front post again,cwith another corner from the left.
Two more quick attacks and England were on the ropes; punch drunk.
Rooney in the box, proved again that he's not really world class;
shooting at the goalkeeper when trying to get on the end of a Leighton Baines cross from
the left.
Alvaro Pereira took a Raheem Sterling knee to the face during a
sliding tackle and looked like a boxer on the canvas. Thankfully he managed to get back on
his feet; although his legs were initially a little wobbly.
1:1
Wayne Rooney finally scored a World Cup Finals goal; thanks to great trickery on the right
from Daniel Sturridge and the overlap by Glen Johnson. When the ball arrived in the box,
Wayne was there and the rest is history.
England now had some momentum and maybe felt they could get a result
from a game they almost looked burried in.
2:1
Sadly Luis Suarez was still fit enough to be on the pitch and chased, head down and
determined, after a long kick out from goalkeeper Fernando Muslera had clipped Steven
Gerrard on the head; to drill the ball between the returning Gary Cahill and a stranded
Joe Hart.
A mathematician might find a way for England to qualify for the
knockout stage; but quite honestly, they need a magician.
Italy need to beat Costa Rica and Uruguay and England need to beat
Costa Rica by enough goals (probably two) to get a better goal difference.
The problem is, when Italy qualify after two games, they usually
change their team to rest players.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Final Score: Uruguay 2 - England 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Goalscorers:
1:0 - Luis Suarez (39 mins)
1:1 - Wayne Rooney (75 mins)
2:1 - Luis Suarez (85 mins)
Teams
Uruguay:
1-Fernando Muslera; 13-Jose Maria Gimenez, 3-Diego Godin, 22-Martin Caceres, 6-Alvaro
Pereira; 14-Nicolas Lodeiro, 20-Alvaro Gonzalez, 17-Egidio Arevalo Rios, 7-Cristian
Rodriguez; 21-Edinson Cavani, 9-Luis Suarez.
England:
1-Joe Hart; 3-Leighton Baines, 5-Gary Cahill, 6-Phil Jagielka, 2-Glen Johnson; 4-Steven
Gerrard, 14-Jordan Henderson, 19-Raheem Sterling, 11-Danny Welbeck; 10-Wayne Rooney,
9-Daniel Sturridge.
 Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo - Spain 
 2 yellow cards:
8 mins - Diego Godin (Uruguay)
67 mins - Steven Gerrard (England)
 Italy vs Costa Rica 
2014 World Cup Finals - Knockout Stage.
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