Gloria's Scoop

Having enjoyed a relatively stress-free campaign so far, Uruguay were made to suffer against France. Though  Les Blues  dominated play,  La Celeste  still managed to create openings, but could find no way past Lloris, who was on top form. Tabarez reshuffled his midfield in the second half but was unable to alter the course of the game.  France celebrate their win against Uruguay France won through to the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 12 years after seeing off a combative Uruguay side that struggled in the absence of the injured Edinson Cavani. 

It was not Uruguay's finest performance, but the result is what counts for  La Celeste . Oscar Tabarez had called on his players to be calm and collected and, leaving aside his irrepressible strike force, that is what made the difference in midfield and defence. Uruguay, the team with the best defensive record in the group stage at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia with zero goals conceded, held firm to sink Portugal 2-1 in Sochi on Saturday to set up a quarter-final tie against France. Edinson Cavani's early opener from a superb Luis Suarez cross put  La Celeste  in the driving seat, enabling them to sit back and soak up the Portuguese pressure. The European champions huffed and puffed but could not blow down the Uruguayan house, searching in vain for a moment of magic from Cristiano Ronaldo, who passed up a presentable chance from a dangerously positioned free-kick. It was from another sort of dead-ball delivery that Portugal found a chink in the armour, Pepe equ...

Uruguay beat hosts Russia 3-0 thanks to goals from forward duo Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, alongside an own goal from Denis Cheryshev, to finish as Group A winners. Uruguay beat hosts Russia 3-0 thanks to goals from forward duo Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani Suarez opened the scoring in the tenth minute, curling in a free-kick from just outside Russia’s penalty area to score his seventh World Cup finals goal, surpassing Diego Forlan in second place all-time for Uruguay. 

Egypt's match against Uruguay was headed for a draw until Uruguay finally broke the deadlock.  The Pharaohs held their opponents away from goal due to the defensive focus of coach Hector Cuper, which succeeded in reducing the danger of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez.