Uruguay, led by Edinson Cavani, knock out Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal

Final score: Uruguay 2-1 Portugal

Edinson Cavani was the difference.

Uruguay outlasted Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in their Round of 16 matchup on Saturday, winning 2-1 and advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1970. The difference maker was Cavani, who scored a goal early in the first half after he combined with Luis Suarez for a gorgeous, field-spanning 1-2 that ended with him heading home at the back post.

The game then settled into what we might have expected — Uruguay defending with numbers, Portugal pushing when they could. The game opened up in the second half when Pepe nabbed an equalizer off a short corner when he caught Uruguay momentarily napping, getting alone into the six-yard box and finishing off a clean chance.

Then it was Cavani again, this time on a beautiful bit of team play that resulted in the ball landing on his right foot on the left edge of the box. He sent a curler back the other way, absolutely perfectly hit, and Uruguay had their lead again.

The match ended in disappointment in Cavani though, after he picked up what appeared to be a calf strain and was forced off the field — helped by Cristiano Ronaldo in what was either a lovely moment of sportsmanship or the Portuguese star trying to hurry things along.

Uruguay have proven to be extremely dangerous opponent in this World Cup, and perhaps better than any other team have demonstrated a comfort and understanding in exactly what they are and exactly what they’re good at. They defend together, they stay organized, they have two strikers who take their chances. They will continue to be dangerous moving forward.

Highlights:

73’ — Cavani exits with an injury. He pulled up and seemed to be favoring his calf, which is a total bummer as he was playing as well as I’ve ever seen him play. Though we did have a lovely moment with Ronaldo helping him off the pitch.

62’ — URUGUAY GOAL AND CAVANI AGAIN. Uruguay 2 - Portugal 1.

A beautiful bit of team passing, and it gets to Cavani on the edge of the box, who curls it with his right foot into the net. That was GORGEOUS.

This game has no right to be this entertaining. I love this World Cup. I LOVE THIS WORLD CUP.

55’ — PORTUGAL GOT THEIR GOAL. IT’S PEPE. Portugal 1 - Uruguay 1.

We needed it and we got it! A rare display of switching off from the Uruguay defense, who aren’t ready for the short corner, and somehow leave Pepe unmarked in the six-yard box.

Pepe equalizes for Portugal!
The defender finds himself free in the box and heads it home to make it 1-1 with over 30 minutes left to play. pic.twitter.com/oJbXZKuKwT
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 30, 2018

51’ — For fans of compact team defense and organization, this game is a masterpiece. For us philistines who just want to see beautiful, tasty goals, this is ... not a masterpiece.

46’ — We’re off in the second half. Can Portugal hope to break down this Uruguay defense?

45’ — HALFTIME. Uruguay 1 - Portugal 0.

I guess it’s nice to have a game go according to script after the lunacy of this morning. Uruguay got an early goal, then clamped down. There’s been nonsense from Suarez of the highest order. Feels like home.

31’ — Ronaldo has a free kick on the edge of the box. The thighs come out, the shot goes up ... but he doesn’t get the height he needs and it’s blocked by the Uruguay wall. Uruguay have their goal, and perhaps no other team in this tournament is built better to protect a 1-0 lead. They do not care, and will do whatever it takes to win.

7’ — GOAL URUGUAY. AND IT’S CAVANI. Uruguay 1 - Portugal 0.

So much for the 0-0 slog we were expecting! Cavani gets the ball on the right side of the field, fires a ball about 45 yards to Suarez, who traps it down. Takes a few touches to get it on his right foot, and fires a ball back across to Cavani’s head. He finishes near post, and we’ve got a GAME ON.

1’ — And we’re off. Portugal is wearing white for some reason, and it is making me mad online. Give us that red vs. blue clash!

Uruguay is sticking with the lineup that got them here, but Portugal has made some minor changes. After a disappointing performance against Iran, three new players come in. The scorer of amazing goals and doer of very little else, Ricardo Quaresma, has been dropped. Goncalo Guedes, Bernardo Silva and Ricardo Pereira return to the lineup.

Uruguay vs. Argentina lineups

Portugal and Uruguay continue play in the knockout stage as the second game of the Round of 16 to takes place on Saturday. The match is get for 2 p.m. ET at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi, Russia, and you can watch it on FOX and Telemundo. Online streaming is also available in English through FOX Sports Go here or in Spanish through Telemundo here.

The winner of this match will face France — who held off Argentina, 4-3, earlier on Saturday — in the quarterfinals. Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal have already had more success than in the 2014 World Cup, where they failed to get out of the group stage. Uruguay advanced to the Round of 16 during the 2014 World Cup, but was knocked out by a loss to Colombia.

Follow along for score updates as both teams try to advance and face the winner of France and Argentina.

Portugal vs. Uruguay Time, TV channel, and streaming info

Time: 2 p.m. ET

Location: Fisht Stadium, Sochi, Russia

TV: FOX (English), Telemundo (Spanish)

Streaming: Watch the game on Fox Sports Go (English) and Telemundo Deportes en vivo (Spanish) for free if you sign in with your TV provider. It’s also on subscription services like Fubo and Hulu.

Odds: EV (Full odds at OddsShark)

For listings from more countries, check out Live Soccer TV.

Portugal vs. Uruguay news to read before kickoff

Uruguay are not here for your viewing pleasure, and never have been

Screw you. Yeah, you. Soccer fan, reading this, I’m talking to you. Do you think Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia boring? Do you think they should have tried to score more? It doesn’t matter. You don’t matter, because Uruguay is not here for you. They’re here to try to win the World Cup the best way they know how, and that doesn’t involve winning over the masses with stylish play.

It’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s last chance to prove everything we already know about him

Cristiano Ronaldo has won almost everything in his career: The Ballon d’Or, World Player of the Year, La Liga titles, Premier League titles, Champions League titles, and a European Championship. There’s just one last thing he hasn’t won yet: the World Cup. In fact, we’ve yet to even really see Ronaldo at his best in a World Cup. In Russia, he’s making his fourth and possibly last run in a World Cup — the most important of his career.

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