Luis Suarez scored the only goal of the game as Uruguay beat Saudi Arabia in Rostov-on-Don to confirm their qualification for the World Cup last 16.
It was far from the best game of the tournament, with Uruguay leaving a lot to be desired in attack and Saudi Arabia keeping the ball with little purpose.
Here are four talking points.
Luis Suarez marked landmark game with a goal but Uruguay lacked rhythm
After struggling to break down Egypt on Friday, the Uruguayan players will have slept well knowing they were facing Saudi Arabia next. Not only are they among the lowest ranked teams in the tournament, a fact not lost on anyone who watched Russia tear them apart in Moscow, but they play in the image of their boss Juan Antonio Pizzi, which while commendable, leaves them open at the back.
Pizzi, the former Chile boss, encourages his players to pass the ball with confidence and trust their ability; giving the likes of Fahad Al-Muwallad and Salem Al-Dawsari more freedom to run with the ball and cause problems. For Uruguay, a team less inclined the dominate a game, instead choosing to keep their shape and allow their attacking players to win the game on the counter attack, it was hoped spaces would eventually open up if they took their chances.
To Pizzi’s credit, though, Saudi Arabia were in control for long periods of the first half particularly; they kept their composure after going a goal down better than against Russia. Suarez’s 52nd international goal, on his 100th appearance, came against the run of play, but it was a harsh reminder to the Saudis that lapses in concentration will be punished. The Barcelona man, keen to make positive headlines at the World Cup after some indiscretions in the previous two, found himself unmarked at a corner, and when Mohammed Al-Owais failed to claim it, he pounced.
Rodrigo Bentancur was the brightest Uruguayan spark again
Uruguay know what they are good at and they play to their strengths; the spine runs from Diego Godin, captain and warrior, and Jose Gimenez at centre back all the way to Suarez and Edinson Cavani up front. Their midfield spark against Egypt came from Juventus’ Rodrigo Bentancur, and while he doesn’t grab too much attention, he can be a joy to watch; he is bringing his quality onto the biggest stage and making a real name for himself. Bentancur was constantly passing the ball forward in search of the two match winners in the side; Saudi Arabia lacked the quality to overrun him, and he will face bigger tests as the tournament progresses, but he has certainly been their most consistent player over the past two games.
After the break, and as the second half progressed, Uruguay began to assert themselves in possession and Bentancur was vital to that. Matías Vecino did struggle to progress the play at times alongside him, but he didn’t put a foot wrong all game despite being outnumbered for long periods and, in what is now a Group A decider between Uruguay and Russia next week, he will hold the key if they are to win the game. Arsenal target Lucas Torreira offered some impetus when he replaced Vecino, but coach Oscar Tabarez needs to rethink his midfield dynamic ahead of the final game.
Edinson Cavani offered nothing in attack
Although Suarez made the difference in the game, he was not at the heart of everything, which is unlike him. Cavani was equally, if not more, ineffectual; his game was summed up by his reaction to not being awarded a foul in the second half, when he beat the ground in frustration. Moments after, there was a glimpse of what he and Suarez can do when they link up; the Paris Saint-Germain striker was dropping deeper to get involved, and on this occasion he picked the ball up, turned and found Suarez. His clever chipped return found Cavani, and while the move came to nothing in the end, it was the kind of thing they needed to do more. It was surprising to see how little his height was utilised from crosses and set pieces; Saudi Arabia were consistently poor in their organisation, but he found himself on the periphery of the action far too often.
The presence of Godin and Gimenez will ensure Uruguay will be hard to beat further into the competition, but their lack of creative freedom also puts a lot of pressure on the strikers to convert the few chances that do come along. Cavani will have to be much more lively in the future, but they remain a formidable force across the pitch.
Saudi Arabia were clearly stung by the heavy Russia defeat
Neat, tidy and impressive between both boxes are just a few ways to describe Saudi Arabia, but it was clear that the 5-0 defeat to Russia, conceding three in the final minutes, hurt them badly. They took heavy levels of criticism in the aftermath, and as a result, it seemed as though their main aim was to save face, rather than win the game or even take a point.
Mohammed Al-Sahlawi, their top scorer in qualification, started on the bench, and although he has not found the net for his country in over a year, they did look even more toothless without him in the side and head out having barely laid a glove on the tournament.
