Mohammed
Kudus in action
with South Korea’s
Jung Woo-young. — REUTERS/KIM HONG-JI
LUSAIL, Qatar — A second half brace from a stunning Bruno Fernandes fired Portugal into the last 16 of the World Cup on Monday to join France and Brazil, after a 2-0 win that outclassed an uninspiring Uruguay given little chance to get into the match.
For a Portugal whose World Cup narrative has so far been crafted by the controversy and brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo, the night belonged to Fernandes, who shone throughout and always looked threatening.
His first goal set the tone of how the match would play out, with a 55th minute cross intended for Ronaldo that sailed fortuitously into the net, before a perfectly executed spot kick in stoppage time that guaranteed his side’s passage to the knockout stages with a match remaining.
Ronaldo had celebrated the first goal ecstatically as his own and smiled awkwardly as it was announced as belonging to Fernandes, who twice came close to completing a hat-trick in the dying moments.
The win was the third time at a World Cup that Portugal have won two successive group stage matches, and the previous two times led to streaks into the semi-finals.
Fernandes played down talk of his starring role and said his focus was the next match against South Korea and getting a perfect nine points for Portugal.
Uruguay, the dark horses in a succession of World Cups, looked nothing like the side that knocked Portugal out in the last 16 in Russia in 2018 and struggled to get into the match as the European side piled on pressure from the start and never relented.
Portugal had the lion’s share of the possession and pressed continuously but labored in the final third and lacked clear-cut scoring chances until the second half, in a game where Uruguay were scrappy, off kilter and lacking initiative.
The result leaves Uruguay with a difficult final match against Ghana, who kept themselves in contention by beating South Korea 3-2 in the earlier Group H match.
Ronaldo had a few flashes of flair that drew loud roars from the Lusail stadium crowd, including a moment three minutes in when he used his shoulder to redirect a long throw into the path of William Carvalho, whose powerful volley sailed over the bar.
Portugal were dangerous on the approach and controlled both flanks, with Bernardo Silva, Fernandes and an industrious Joao Felix combining well and each frustrated in their efforts to put Portugal ahead.
Uruguay had a few chances, with the best coming on 32 minutes from Rodrigo Bentancur, who ran half the length of the field and skipped past three defenders before his low shot was stooped by advancing keeper Diogo Costa.
Portugal battled hard and finally broke the deadlock nine minutes after the break when Fernandes’ cross floated past Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, who was rooted to his line as Ronaldo rose to head home ball but fell short.
Uruguay rallied to try to get back into the match around the hour mark after coach Diego Alonso made a raft of substitutions to shake up his attack, with Facundo Pellistri making an instant impact, Luis Suarez coming close and Maxi Gomez blasting his shot into the post.
But the fightback was shortlived, with Portugal quickly regaining control and winning a penalty at the end after a handball in the box that required a VAR review.
Fernandes coolly converted his penalty in stoppage time and scrambled to get a third, with his effort saved at the near post by Rochet and a strike in the dying seconds that cannoned agonizingly off the post.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos commended his team’s professionalism in a performance he described as brilliant.
BRAZIL EDGES SWITZERLAND TO ADVANCECasemiro scored in the 83rd minute to lift Brazil to a 1-0 victory over Switzerland on Monday and advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup in Doha, Qatar.
The Brazilians are through the group stage despite the absence of Neymar, who missed the match with an ankle injury.
Brazil’s tally in the 64th minute was overturned after VAR determined Richarlison was offsides on Vinicius Junior’s score.
Switzerland remains alive and will play Serbia in its final group match.
Yann Sommer made four saves for the Swiss. But it was Casemiro’s half-volley that eluded Sommer, sending Brazil to the Round of 16.
GHANA 3, SOUTH KOREA 2Ghana fended off South Korea’s last-minute barrage to ensure Mohammed Kudus’ game-winner held up and 61st-ranked Ghana improved its chances of advancing to the Round of 16.
Ghana grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first half but before Kudus punched in his second goal of the match in the 68th minute, South Korea had stormed back to tie it at 2-all.
Gue-sung Cho knocked in two goals on headers just three minutes apart, and the scene at Education City Stadium turned electric for the rest of the match.
Kudus found open space from the penalty area and poked in the winner as goalkeeper Seung-gyu Kim left his feet for a save attempt.
South Korea brought a heavy attack the rest of the way, tallying 22 shots on goal — compared to seven for Ghana — but could not capitalize on possession time over 60 percent.
The win bumps Ghana up to three total points in Group H.
CAMEROON 3, SERBIA 3Cameroon closed a two-goal deficit with a pair of late goals and scored a draw with Serbia in a thriller in Group G.
Vincent Aboubakar netted a lob to make it a 3-2 game and Cameroon’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored the equalizer three minutes later to set up a frantic finish between teams vying to reach the Round of 16.
Serbia started fast and worked a 3-1 advantage after halftime thanks to striker Aleksandar Mitrovic’s score. After Cameroon evened the game at 3, Mitrovic missed his best chance for a game-winner, going just wide of the net. — Reuters
