If Fifa didn’t ban inoffensive flags brought by supporters inside World Cup stadiums, the world may have seen two briefly held up in the light blue of Uruguay. In a skit on the British national anthem, a “God Save Suarez” flag in English was brandished among the 15,000 Uruguay fans in Sao Paulo, plus a “God Save the King” banner accompanied by a Che Guevara-esque image of their main man. In Sao Paulo, Luis Suarez proved that status beyond doubt in a murky metropolis enveloped in an uncustomary chill.
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The Liverpool striker bristled, before the match, when it was suggested that he couldn’t be 100 per cent fit, but it was a reasonable point. Suarez’s knee operation meant he’d not played a game for six weeks, but he does not need liveners. After his five-month biting ban for Liverpool he returned with 19 goals in his first 13 games last autumn.
Following a humiliating opening defeat to Costa Rica, Uruguay needed their best player against an England side who had lost their first match against Group D favourites Italy.
The Liverpool striker doesn’t need time to get back into the groove, nor did his team look rusty as Uruguay began with renewed impetus in a scrappy, end-to-end encounter. Suarez’s link play with striker partner Edinson Cavani looked dangerous, even his low corners to the near post troubled England goalkeeper Joe Hart more than the flurry of England corners at the other end.
The strike pair would prove to be England’s undoing, Cavani’s sublime cross to Suarez’s head for the opening goal in the 39th minute, a moment where two world-class strikers who have played with each other multiple times.
That is a pair of prodigious talents from a country with a population of 3 million, 50 million fewer than England. All 11 of Uruguay’s starting XI play their football abroad, all 11 of England’s players ply their trade in a league which bills itself as the best on the planet, yet plays host to a consistently underachieving national team for whom disappointment has become the norm. At least they are no longer burdened with unrealistic expectations.
Wayne Rooney’s 75th minute equaliser - his first World Cup goal - almost came a shock, a reward for England’s greater possession and perseverance. Yet Roy Hodgson’s side frequently looked ragged and error prone with unmarked defenders clearing the ball clumsily and English midfielders disappointing. Their attacking play also lacked the incisiveness and confidence on display in Manaus.
England regressed, Uruguay were hungrier, wilier and, crucially, had Suarez in their side ably supported by Cavani. The pair created three chances in the first five minutes of the second half, alone - in that respect England were lucky Suarez wasn’t completely fit.
Roy Hodgson’s team could have closed to the game out for a 1-1 draw with the aim of beating Costa Rica and hopefully qualify from Group D, but they allowed Suarez behind them to score an 84th-minute winner.
With no points from two games, qualification is implausible for England. It’s same old story, another hugely underwhelming tournament performance from a national side for whom so much more is expected.
Man of the match: Luis Suarez.
His two magnificently taken goals condemned England - the country he works in. Not fit, yet hugely determined and outshone every player. World class.
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