Bruno Fernandes double sinks Uruguay and sends Portugal into last 16

28-Nov-2022 21:24:52 | The Guardian

An eagerly awaited clash of two talented and tempestuous heavyweights failed to meet expectations, but the repercussions could prove fatal for Uruguay. Portugal eased into the last 16 with two goals from Bruno Fernandes to leave the South Americans needing to beat Ghana on Friday to have a chance of joining them. Revenge will be high on the agenda for Ghana.

Fernandes scored two second‑half goals – though Cristiano Ronaldo continued to claim the first as his own long after the final whistle – and could have had a hat-trick during a relatively tame encounter. Uruguay are now bottom of the group and need maximum points against Ghana, who they infamously knocked out of the 2010 World Cup courtesy of Luis Suárez’s handball and Asamoah Gyan’s penalty miss, plus a favour from Portugal against South Korea to avoid an ignominious early exit.