Portugal counts its two games for victories and is already in the round of 16 of the World Cup. His victory against Uruguay, thanks to two goals by Bruno Fernandes, the second at the end and a penalty, cost him sweat and suffering as it could not be otherwise when the light-blues are up against them. Football rewarded the Portuguese and punished the Uruguayans, who perhaps deserved more but were erroneous with the 0-0 draw. When they needed to go for the game, they were clear-sighted and gave off a lot of football, perhaps the lesson is that they should act like that from the start and not as a reaction to an adverse result. They have one last cartridge left against Ghana to correct themselves
Portugal has more soccer but Uruguay is Uruguay. The phrase, which obviously could be signed by the brand new sportswriter Mariano Rajoy (does that mean that one day those of us who talk about football will be able to become presidents of the Government?) refers to intangibles, to the shirts that weigh because of their history, beyond the players who wear them. The one from Uruguay weighs. It is a country with few people (there are 3.5 million inhabitants) but with a scientifically demonstrable accumulation of competitiveness in the genes.
The Portuguese started liking each other and the Uruguayans marking territory. It was already known, but they reiterate them on the pitch. We are tough to peel, the celestial ones are whispering in each square meter of the pitch. That speech by Al Pacino (film 'An Any Given Sunday' for those who don't know) about the importance of gaining every inch was surely invented by Uruguayans years ago. It must be plagiarism.
While Cristiano Ronaldo decorated himself with a kilometer assist to Carvalho with his chest (his shot went high) and the players Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and João Félix (what a three) looked for each other, the South Americans awaited their chance with Cavani and Darwin Núñez, Both launched by Real Madrid player Valverde, a show in progress. On the bench was Luis Suárez, presumably with bad tempers.
The play of the game was Uruguayan. Bentancur signed it and if it ends in a goal, he fights to be chosen as the best in the World Cup. He galloped down the axis of the midfielder and was avoiding the Portuguese because no one thought of such a crazy adventure. Well, the guy went all the way and only Diogo Costa, the goalkeeper, beat him. In the press box, a Uruguayan radio announcer shouted: "It would have been the goal of the century." We all exaggerate from time to time in life.
The game was broken by Portugal in the second half, just after the spontaneous appearance of a player who jumped onto the pitch with a rainbow flag, claiming the LGTBi movement. It will be necessary to monitor what the Qatari authorities do in this regard. In this country blessed by FIFA, homosexuality and its publicity are punishable. But let's go with Portugal's goal: Bruno Fernandes crossed very closely and gave the impression that Cristiano Ronaldo was heading his teammate's service into the net. The replay revealed that the assist came in unaided. Fernandes was assigned the goal on the giant screen and Cristiano smiled on the pitch. Nothing bothers the Lusitanian if Portugal wins. And at that moment he was ahead.
Diego Alonso, the Uruguayan coach, reacted by bringing on Pellistri and Arrascaeta, both attacking. The first was very active attached to the right wing. The second, a classic hitch, had the ten on the back not by chance. Uruguay stretched, which brought out the heavy artillery, that is, Luis Suárez and Maxi Gómez. Darwin Núñez and Cavani left very little mark on the game. 20 minutes to go.
The first thing that happened is that Maxi Gómez sent a whiplash to the post. The second thing is that half the stadium claimed a goal thinking that a shot in the small area by Suárez had entered. The third thing is that Costa took a ball from Arrascaeta that slipped through. The Uruguayans, it has already been said, do not give up even with shots. His approach to the tie was a revolution.
Fernando Santos then brought in three fresh men at once in Portugal to resist the siege, even removing Cristiano from the field. What he got was a penalty in favor of Giménez's hand, which fell to the ground and could not be amputated. The maximum penalty was converted by Bruno Fernandes. The game is finished there.
