Edinson Cavani: The PSG forward gives Uruguay the lead in their World Cup last 16 clash with Portugal

Uruguay 2-1 Portugal: Edinson Cavani books France meeting

Football

Sun July 01, 2018 · 6y ago

Uruguay are through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Portugal.

Edinson Cavani's brace in Sochi took his tournament tally to three goals and condemned Portugal talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to a World Cup exit, just hours after his great rival Lionel Messi took the same path.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward, 25/1 with Sky Bet to win the Golden Boot, struck in each half, heading home Luis Suarez's cross early on before restoring Uruguay's lead seven minutes after Portugal defender Pepe had levelled.

While Pepe's goal may now seem irrelevant, some lucky punters were celebrating after succesfully landing a RequestABet - Cavani and Pepe both to score a header - at an incredible 500/1.

Pepe's header was the first goal that Uruguay had conceded at this World Cup, but Oscar Tabarez's side, 14/1 with the online bookmaker to win the competition, recovered to secure a date with France in Nizhny Novgorod on Friday.

GOAL VIDEOS

Uruguay 1-0 Portugal: Edinson Cavani - 7'

Uruguay 1-1 Portugal: Pepe - 55'

Uruguay 2-1 Portugal: Edinson Cavani - 62'

Opta match statistics

This is the first time Uruguay have won their opening four games to a World Cup tournament since 1930, with the fourth game in that run being their 4-2 victory over Argentina in the final.
Portugal have now lost their last four World Cup matches in the knockout stages of the tournament, since a goalless draw with England in the 2006 quarter-final.
Edinson Cavani scored his 44th and 45th goals for Uruguay tonight. 12 of those have been assisted by Luis Suarez.
Since 1966, only Grzegorz Lato & Andrzej Szarmach (5 for Poland) and Michael Ballack & Miroslav Klose (5 for Germany) have combined for more World Cup goals than Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani & Luis Suarez (4).
This was Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo’s 38th game in World Cups/European Championships – no player has played in more across the two competitions (level with Bastian Schweinsteiger).
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has played 514 minutes of football in the knockout stages of the World Cup, but has failed to score or provide an assist.
At 35y 124d, Pepe became Portugal��s oldest ever goalscorer in a major tournament match (World Cup and European Championships).

Odds correct at 2110 BST on 30/06/18