KNOCKOUT PUNCH
Uruguay gives Portugal the boot and Argentina falls to France,
SOCHI, RUSSIA— Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t carry the team by himself this time.
The five-time player of the year, who scored four goals in his opening two matches at the World Cup, was eliminated from the tournament on Saturday after Portugal lost to Uruguay 2-1 in the round of 16.
On the same day Lionel Messi was sent home in Argentina’s loss, the other GOAT at this tournament was also eliminated.
“We gave our best,” Ronaldo said. “The team played well. As the team captain I am proud of this group.” Portugal won the 2016 European championship and came to Russia with high expectations following the surprise title in France two years ago, its first in a major tournament. Ronaldo started off this year’s tournament with a hat trick against Spain and then added another goal against Morocco.
But on Saturday, it was Edinson Cavani who scored twice to earn victory for the Uruguayans.
“No team can win with one player alone,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. “He tried. The team didn’t win because Uruguay scored twice.”
Portugal hasn’t reached the World Cup quarterfinals since 2006, when a young Ronaldo led the team to the semifinals. Back then, Portugal lost to France and eventually finished fourth after losing to Germany in the consolation game.
Ronaldo, now 33 and still playing some of the best soccer of his life, failed to provide the spark Portugal needed against Uruguay.
Ronaldo’s great start in Russia allowed him to surpass the combined total of three goals he had scored in his previous three World Cups. He also joined Pele, Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler as the only players to score in four World Cups. The four early goals in this year’s tournament had put him in position to contend for the Golden Boot trophy, but he was surpassed by England striker Harry Kane’s five goals in the group stage.
Despite his fast start in Russia, Ronaldo missed a penalty in the 1-1draw against Iran in the third game. He also was nearly given a red card when his elbowing of an opponent was reviewed on video.
Prior to the World Cup, Ronaldo led Real Madrid to its third straight Champions League title, but he arrived in Russia surrounded by distractions about his club future and a tax fraud accusation back in Madrid.
He had said he would talk about his club future after joining the national team, but avoided the subject from the start. He only spoke briefly with the media in Russia.
“Now it’s not the time to talk about the future,” Ronaldo said. “I’m sure that the national team will remain as one of the best in the world. We have great players, a fantastic group.”
Cavani took the spotlight on this day.
He combined with Luis Suarez to compete a series of precision passes to give Uruguay the early advantage with a header in the seventh minute. And after Portugal equalized on Pepe’s header in the 55th minute, it was Cavani again finishing a perfect Uruguay counter in the 62nd with a shot from just inside the penalty area that caught Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio slightly out of position and curled inside the far post.
“The truth is, it was really exciting,” Cavani said. “There aren’t words to describe this.”
Cavani now has three goals at the World Cup, but limped off in the 70th minute with an apparent injury and had to be replaced. He was helped to the sideline with his arm around Ronaldo’s back.
Uruguay, a two-time champion that reached the semifinals at the 2010 World Cup, will face France on Friday in Nizhny Novgorod.
Portugal had chances in the second half, including a frantic final few minutes of stoppage time with claims of a possible handball in the penalty area from a late corner kick. But there was no late video review to benefit Portugal as Ronaldo’s fourth World Cup came to an uneventful end.
Like Messi, Ronaldo has never scored in a knockout round match at the World Cup.