AGAIN: Suarez’ wizardry condemns England to second defeat

• Posted on June 20, 2014June 20, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Too few chances were created in a feisty game of survival between England and Uruguay but after 90 minutes and a few added time it was Luis Suarez’ brace  that has gotten England praying for a miracle to happen for them to qualify to the knockout stage of Brazil 2014.

And while the English have a mathematical chance of proceeding to the knock-out round of the World Cup, it appears to be an almost impossible task.

Wayne Rooney scored his first World Cup goal but may well be his last as the Three Lions once again failed to impress at the big stage.

After losses for both sides in the opening Group D games, it was a do or die encounter for both teams.

Luis Suarez who missed his side’s first encounter through injury returned with a bang, superbly heading an inch-perfect Cavani cross for what was a crucial lead for the South Americans.

Wayne Rooney equalised with a simple tap-in from close range with the English looking more like salvaging a point in a closely fought game.

But an ill-timed defensive header by captain Steven Gerrard which played Suarez onside proved a costly blunder as the danger man, whose striking ability is not unknown to the English defence, fired a bullet for the much needed win for Uruguay.

Wayne Rooney came close to scoring but his header from a corner bounced off the cross bar in the first half.

The match was fast paced, and punctuated with some cluttering tackles at both ends but there was little anger and emotions as both teams exhibited a refreshing spectacle of fair play.

Six minutes before recess, Luis Suarez opened the scoring with a header that left Joe Hart completely beaten.

The English came back strongly in the second half but it was the South Americans who still looked dangerous on the break.

There were lots of midfield action as both sides tried very hard to break the defence. Welbeck could only clutter into the goal keeper in his failed attempt to connect a cross on the left by Daniel Sturridge.

Wayne Rooney kept the England qualification dream alive with a tap-in after a rampaging run on the right and a perfect cross by Glenn Johnson in the 75th minute.

The English were in jubilant mood but it was not for long. Suarez had other ideas. Five minutes to regulation time, the man whose ‘hand of devil’ act sent Uruguay to the Semi-final in the last world cup was again on hand to rescue his side.

This time he did not use his hand to prevent a ball from entering the net, he fired a bullet with his leg and got many English hearts broken again.

The English would be praying for favours from Italy who would later play Costa Rica in Group D’s other match.

-joynews