England fall to Uruguay
June 19, 2014
Suarez scored a goal in either half on Thursday to down England 2-1. After missing Uruguay's first game - a 3-1 loss to Costa Rica - with an injury, the star Liverpool striker returned to the lineup to spearhead the attack.
England Manager Roy Hodgson went with the same lineup that lost 2-1 to Italy, but moved Wayne Rooney centrally. The move paid off for Rooney, who scored his first career World Cup goal late in the second half, but it ultimately did little good for the Three Lions.
In the 39th minute it was none other than Suarez himself who put Uruguay ahead. Against the run of play, the South Americans broke forward and Edinson Cavani lobbed a beautiful pass into the box. The ball fell right to Suarez, who headed past Joe Hart to score the game's first goal.
The second half saw Uruguay tighten their grip on the match as the far more dangerous attacking side. An England loss looked increasingly likely until Rooney's surprise goal in the 75th minute.
A good touch from Daniel Sturridge put defender Glen Johnson through on the right flank. Two excellent touches sent the ball to an open Rooney at the far post. A simple tap-in brought England its equalizer.
But the excitement was short-lived. Five minutes from time, Suarez was put through on goal from a flick header. The Premier League Player of the Season sent a powerful finish past Hart to seal England's demise.
The 2-1 loss effectively eliminates England from the group stage for the first time since the 1958 World Cup - a complicated and unlikely series of results would need to go their way in the day's later Costa Rica-Italy match and beyond if they are to advance.
Colombia victorious, Japan held
Two second-half goals were enough for Colombia to see off the Ivory Coast earlier on Thursday in Brasilia. One set piece and a counterattack broke down an Ivorian defense that looked vulnerable all match.
James Rodriguez struck in the 64th minute off a header, and six minutes later an Ivory Coast giveaway led to a counterattack finished off by Juan Fernando Quintero.
A Gervinho strike shortly thereafter created some hope, but the Ivorians were unable to find an equalizer.
It finished 2-1 to Colombia, giving coach Jose Pekerman's side six points in Group C heading into their final match of the first round against Japan. The tournament is not yet over for the Ivory Coast, however, who meet Greece in their third and last group match.
Japan were held to a draw against 10-man Greece in the final match of the day. The sending off of Kostas Katsouranis should've sparked goals from Japan's creative attackers. Instead, a defensive Greece proved a tough nut to crack.
The best chance fell to forward Yoshito Okubo late in the second half, but he was unable to finish Atstuto's cross in front of an empty net from a tight angle. It finished 0-0, meaning Colombia's Group C partner in the Round of 16 will be decided in the next match.