Uruguay 2 - England 1

Photo by Jamie Squire

England and Uruguay were looking for the first points at Brasil 2014 as they met today in Sao Paulo. The teams started slowly, but it would be the Three Lions with the first dangerous chance. Wayne Rooney stood over an English free kick and bent it just by the intersection of the crossbar and the far post. From there, the game opened up. Uruguayan winger Cristian Rodriguez hit an extremely powerful shot from the top of the penalty area that zoomed just over the crossbar with backspin. England nearly had the opening goal over a short free kick from the left flank. Captain Steven Gerrard chipped a perfect ball to the back post, but Rooney's point-blank header went up and into the crossbar before cruelly bouncing out. Uruguay centerback Diego Godin could have perhaps been sent of the pitch for a second yellow card as he committed a foul as he was being driven by on the right flank, but the referee gave him a reprieve. Uruguay found themselves with a counterattacking chance later in the half. Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani received the ball in the attacking third, and he chipped an absolutely brilliant ball that evaded the leaping head of English centerback Phil Jagielka as gravity brought it back to Earth just slowly enough for striker Luis Suarez  (pictured, blue) to run under it and head the ball back across the goal and into the net. Perfect pass, perfect header, 1-0 Uruguay. Rooney tried to level the affair with a good through ball to Daniel Sturridge, but his shot to the near post has saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Uruguay led 1-0 at intermission.

Suarez used an early corner kick to shoot directly on frame, nearly catching England goalkeeper Joe Hart and punishing him for refusing to station a man at his near post on an inswinging corner kick. Hart desperately dove into his own goalmouth, but he kept the ball out of his goal. A Nicolas Lodeiro through ball put Cavani in with a chance, but Cavani dragged the chance wide. From then on, England really bossed the game. They had the vast majority of possession in this match and passed both more voluminously and more accurately than did La Celeste. Rooney grabbed hold of a loose ball from eight yards out, but he only managed to drive the ball straight into the goalkeeper's body. On a scary play, Uruguayan winger Alvaro Pereira took a knee to the head, but he remained in the game after a short stoppage. English right back Glen Johnson was the impetus for the equalizing goal. He drove around Godin and then split two defenders at the right edge of the box. Johnson laid off a gorgeous ball for Rooney, who tapped in for 1-1. England looked likelier to win the match. Leighton Baines found Sturridge with a ball into the area, but his turnaround was easily blocked by Muslera. Rather undeservedly, Uruguay snatched a lead on a fast counter. A long ball was flicked on from near midfield by Cavani. Suarez ran onto the ball in the attacking third and finished by crushing a ball into the net. Uruguay hold on to win 2-1, pushing England to the brink of elimination and reviving their own hopes of advancing in the process.

Costa Rica 3 pts +2
Italy 3 pts +1
Uruguay 3 pts -1
England 0 pts -2

Goals
Uruguay
Luis Suarez 39, 85

England
Wayne Rooney 75

Match Reports:
http://www.espnfc.us/blog/world-cup-central/59/post/1896076/suarezs-heroics-reflected-uruguays-performance----resilient-to-the-end
http://soccer.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/06/19/luis-suarez-world-cup-uruguay-england-wayne-rooney
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/1896090/suarez-and-cavani-work-their-magic
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/story/1896046/luis-suarez-calls-uruguays-world-cup-win-over-england-one-of-the-best-games-ive-played

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186486/index.html