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Rediff.com  » Sports » PHOTOS: Lethal Suarez keeps Uruguay's World Cup hopes alive
This article was first published 10 years ago

PHOTOS: Lethal Suarez keeps Uruguay's World Cup hopes alive

June 20, 2014 03:15 IST

Image: Luis Suarez of Uruguay celebrates after scoring the second goal against England.
Photographs: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

Luis Suarez struck twice including a dramatic late winner to earn Uruguay a 2-1 victory over England in a pulsating World Cup Group D match on Thursday.

Restored to the lineup after injury, Suarez nodded home Edinson Cavani's cross in the 39th minute and after Wayne Rooney equalised in the second half the Uruguayan took advantage of slack defending to slam home the winner five minutes from time.

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Suarez's return gave Uruguay a major boost

Image: Luis Suarez (right) tries to get the ball past Raheem Sterling of England
Photographs: Kevin C.Cox/Getty Images

Earlier, Luis Suarez started up front for Uruguay, giving the South Americans a major boost after their attack looked largely toothless in a surprise opening 3-1 defeat by Costa Rica.

Diego Forlan made way for the prolific Liverpool forward, who missed the first game because he was recovering from knee surgery. Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez made five changes in all, with Alvaro Pereira, Jose Maria Gimenez, Nicolas Lodeiro and Alvaro Gonzalez also coming in.

England's Wayne Rooney kept his place despite criticism of his performance in an opening 2-1 loss to Italy during which he played largely on the wing but struggled to provide cover for Leighton Baines at left back.

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Rooney missed early chances

Image: Wayne Rooney hits the crossbar with his header
Photographs: Kevin C.Cox/Getty Images

After a tense start at the Corinthians arena the game burst to life when Rooney, restored to his more favoured central role, whipped a wicked free kick just wide of Fernando Muslera's post with 10 minutes gone.

Rooney went even closer after half an hour when he met Steven Gerrard's inswinger but his close-range header smacked back off the woodwork while he landed in the net.

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Suarez gave Uruguay the lead in first half

Image: Luis Suarez of Uruguay scores his team's first goal past England goalkeeper Joe Hart
Photographs: Clive Rose/Getty Images

With England fans jeering Suarez's every touch, the stage was set for him to turn the game on its head.

A lucky break in midfield sent the ball out wide to Cavani and Suarez escaped the attentions of Phil Jagielka to nod back across England goalkeeper Joe Hart for a 1-0 lead.

Suarez, who had been well policed by England's centre backs until that point, wheeled away with a huge smile on his face, kissing his wrists and gesturing frantically in delight.

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Cavani missed a chance in the second half

Image: Edinson Cavani of Uruguay reacts after a missed chance
Photographs: Julian Finney/Getty Images

After the break, Uruguay had England on the ropes and Cavani should have done better when put clean through on Hart by Suarez, but the rampaging forward hit his shot wide.

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Rooney scored his first goal in the World Cup to level scores

Image: Wayne Rooney of England scores his team's first goal past Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera
Photographs: Clive Rose/Getty Images

England gradually regained the initiative with Rooney, widely criticised for his performance against Italy, at the heart of all their best work.

The number 10, who had never scored in the World Cup, picked up the scraps from a Leighton Baines delivery and brought a terrific save out of Muslera in the 55th minute.

Just as it looked like England would never find the net Rooney breathed new life into them.

Full back Glen Johnson worked his way into the box after delightful work by Sturridge, and his square ball was rammed home by Rooney at the far post, sending the massed ranks of England fans behind the goal into a frenzy.

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Suarez slammed the second goal past Hart

Image: Uruguay's players celebrate after Luis Suarez scored the second goal.
Photographs: Julian Finney/Getty Images

England were in the ascendancy but when Gerrard failed to deal with Muslera's punt Suarez was away, outpacing Gary Cahill and slamming the ball past Hart.

England pushed for an equaliser but Uruguay held firm, picking up three points that could go a long way to putting them in the knockout stages.

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