Superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez will go toe-to-toe when Uruguay and Portugal lock horns in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup at the Fisht Stadium on Saturday. The marquee match will see two teams who repeatedly punch above their weight looking up to their celebrated talismen to deliver the goods and keep the entire bunch together using their reservoir of experience. [caption id=“attachment_4638591” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Edinson Cavani celebrates after scoring for Uruguay against Portugal. AP/Andre Penner[/caption] Portugal’s Ronaldo has scored 85 goals in 153 appearances and looks in inspiring form, the last group game where he missed a penalty and was involved in a VAR-influenced decision getting away with a yellow card after pulling down an Iran defender. At the other end is Suarez with 53 goals from 101 games but numerous controversies behind him including a nine-game international ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini four years ago. Portugal qualified for the last-16 after an unconvincing group stage in which they tried to repeat the “solid defence and pace-on-the-break” strategy that won them the 2016 European Championships. A narrow victory against Morocco was their only win in their first three matches and they will have to improve against Uruguay, who are unlikely to allow spaces behind their defence. Portugal’s shrewd tactician Fernando Santos would not be too concerned about their draws against Spain and Iran en route to the Round of 16 as he is known to be happy with the tag of ugly ducklings. Santos, 63, is at his second World Cup, having led Greece to the last 16 four years ago. In attack, Ronaldo will need the support of Goncalo Guedes, Ricardo Quaresma and Andre Silva in attack, while Jose Fonte and Pepe will be at the central defence in front of goalkeeper Rui Patricio. William Carvalho, Jao Mario and Adrien Silva are expected to feature in midfield. Coming to Uruguay, before their 3-0 win over Russia, the talk in the Uruguayan press was that the side may have beaten Egypt 1-0 and Saudi Arabia 1-0 but they were hardly very impressive. Uruguay may have looked disjointed going forward, but they were imposing in defence and hardly gave their rivals a chance in their first two games. Suarez, along with Edinson Cavani will threaten the Portuguese defence. Uruguay have yet to concede a goal in Russia, although going forward they have relied mainly on set pieces to score their goals. Veteran coach Oscar Tabarez is at his third World Cup in his current stint with Uruguay. Like Santos, the 71-year-old, has also won a continental title, the Copa America in 2011. Uruguay, going by their form in the group stages, will have the edge over Portugal. But if Ronaldo is in full tilt, the charismatic Real Madrid forward can take the game away from his opponents and take Portugal to their second quarter-final. To stop Ronaldo, Uruguayan central defensive partnership of Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez, who is set to comeback after missing the third match due to a thigh injury, need to be at their best. Martin Caceres and Diego Laxalt are expected to be full-backs and the midfield will see Rodrigo Bentancur and Matias Vecino starting. With inputs from agencies Click here for full coverage of FIFA World Cup 2018 Click here to view the full schedule of FIFA World Cup 2018 Click here to view the Points Table of FIFA World Cup 2018
Highlights, Uruguay vs Portugal, FIFA World Cup 2018, Round of 16 in Sochi: Uruguay set up QF clash with France
Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez will go toe-to-toe when Uruguay and Portugal lock horns in the Round of 16. Follow our live blog for scores and updates from Russia.
 "Highlights, Uruguay vs Portugal, FIFA World Cup 2018, Round of 16 in Sochi: Uruguay set up QF clash with France")
What a day of football!
Ten goals scored and two deserving teams progressed to the quarter-finals. Though, it came at the cost of two GOATs. Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are out of the tournament and we never know if we will ever see them in a World Cup.
The day belongs to France and Uruguay. They will face each other in quarters. That will be some game.
We will be back again for tomorrow’s Round of 16 matches. See you and have a good day!
URU 2-1 POR
Uruguay will now face France in the quarter-finals, who earlier dominated Argentina and that should be another cracker of a game between two attacks which are on song.
URU 2-1 POR
Portugal had been struggling even in the group stage and tonight’s midfield debacle of the European champions were foreshadowed against Morocco and Iran. Combined with Ronaldo’s inability to exert his influence as a sea of blue shirts outnumbered him in Portugal’s attacking third, this is one of the weakest performance Fernando Santos’ side has displayed in recent years.
Sadly
Both Ronaldo and Messi go home. Both remain without a goal in the knockout stages of any World Cup. Remarkable for 2 of the games all time greats.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 30, 2018
URU 2-1 POR
Uruguay were incredible all around and have continued their unbeaten record which is in place since March of 2017. On a day when both Messi and Ronaldo are eliminated from the competition, the emphasis is certainly on team cohesion, for a determined yet understated display from eleven always trumps over individual brilliance.
Proper goalfest!
Griezmann 13'⚽
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 30, 2018
Di Maria 41'⚽
Mercado 48'⚽
Pavard 57'⚽
Mbappe 64' & 68'⚽⚽
Aguero 90'+3⚽
Cavani 7' & 62'⚽⚽
Pepe 55'⚽
Ten goals - the most prolific day of knock-out football at the #worldcup since 17th June 1970.
Two semi-finals produced a total of 11 goals 😳 pic.twitter.com/wLMvqwoiFj
Tragedy for GOATs
16:45: Lionel Messi is knocked out of the #WorldCup
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) June 30, 2018
20:55: Cristiano Ronaldo is knocked out of the World Cup
Not a great day for GOATs. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/YwUCIdiLgv
Full-time! URU 2-1 POR
Some late drama as Rui Patricio comes up for a corner and connects. There are appeals for a handball but the referee as well as the VAR disagree and Uruguay hang on somehow to get past the line. Cristiano Ronaldo looks devastated while Edinson Cavani is ecstatic.
Full-time! URU 2-1 POR
It’s all over!
Uruguay clinch the match thanks to Cavani’s brace. They will France in the quarter-finals. First Messi and now Ronaldo. Crushing defeat to Portugal.
90+4’ URU 2-1 POR
We are well into stoppage time here in Sochi and another chance goes begging for Portugal. The Selecaos had won the header off a cross, but nobody was available to bury the layoff.
Quaresma goes into the referee’s ledger for trying to invent a free-kick.
90+3’ URU 2-1 POR
Angry Portugal players go berserk on referee for not giving a foul on Quaresma. Ronaldo recieves a yellow for his behaviour and if the team qualifies for the next round, he won’t play.
90+2’ URU 2-1 POR
Almost a third goal. Suarez does well to beat his marker on the right and delivers the pass to Rodriguez, who fails to control it.
90+1’ URU 2-1 POR
The normal time is over. The fourth official shows four minutes of added time. Four more minutes of Cristiano Ronaldo in a World Cup?
89’ URU 2-1 POR
Manuel Fernandes, Portugal substitute is on a different page than his teammates as he tries way too much on his own, opting to shoot from range on two separate occasions – allowing Portugal’s possession to evaporate.
Helping a brother!
Cristiano Ronaldo helps Edinson Cavani off the pitch. 👏#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/f6jlhgn3XG
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) June 30, 2018
86’ URU 2-1 POR
Messi is out. Will Ronaldo join him today? Less than 5 minutes left for the 90.
83’ URU 2-1 POR
Quaresma with his trademark outside the boot cross but it’s too much for Ronaldo in the box. Time’s running out for Portugal. Meanwhile, Manuel Fernandes replaces Mario.
81’ URU 2-1 POR
What’s the point of a short corner if you end up losing the ball? Questionable tactics from Portugal who simply cannot find a way through the Garra Charrua, who are defending like their life depends on it.
81’ URU 2-1 POR
Yet another change for Uruguay as play stops before a Portugal corner. Nandez is off and Sanchez is in.
79’ URU 2-1 POR
This has been such a meek performance from Portugal and Ronaldo and not for the lack of trying. Uruguay have strived for it more and the Portuguese have lost the battles in the midfield and the tussles in the opposite half. As it stands, this could be Ronaldo’s last ever World Cup appearance with Portugal heading out.
This is art!
Bend it like Cavani. ⤴️#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/OrBLmN6ZBb
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) June 30, 2018
75’ URU 2-1 POR
The South American nation is also prone to mistakes at the back with Muslera spilling the ball onto Bernardo Silva’s path, but the Manchester City youngster’s shot sails over. The referee calls for a foul on the goalkeeper making the move irrelevant anyway.
74’ URU 2-1 POR
Two changes. Cavani is out and Stuani comes in. For Portugal, Andre Silva replaces Guedes.
Player!
Edinson Cavani's three goals at the 2018 #WorldCup:
— Squawka (@Squawka) June 30, 2018
⚽️ Right-foot
⚽️ Left-foot
⚽️ Header
The perfect trio. pic.twitter.com/sB4GjsmOg2
72’ URU 2-1 POR
Creativity has been Portugal’s bane this summer in Russia and Uruguay have managed to keep the Group B runners-up quiet by forcing them wide. There is not much penetration through the centre of the pitch and Uruguay have faced no trouble whatsoever in keeping the crosses out.
71’ URU 2-1 POR
Oh what a chance! Muslera fumbles a simple catch, Bernardo Silva get the ball, controls it and smashes towards the goal with the goalkeeper missing from his position. He hits it wide.
Meanwhile, looks like Cavani is injured
69’ URU 2-1 POR
The Paris Saint-Germain centre-forward has operated at a completely different level and has taken the game by the scruff of its neck, forcing Portugal to begin from scratch again. It took Santos’ side close to fifty minutes to find the equalizer, but now Portugal has less than half an hour to correct the course of the match.
67’ URU 2-1 POR
Uruguay defending in numbers. Quaresma with a good corner. Ronaldo rises high but misses the header.
65’ URU 2-1 POR
Portugal make their first change of the evening. Ricardo Quaresma comes in and Adrien Silva is off.
63’ URU 2-1 POR
With the goal, Portugal are now suddenly on top but…. Edinson Cavani pulls off yet another sublime finish to lift Uruguayan spirits. Getting the ball on the edge of the box, Cavani unleashes a shot straight away which flies past an outstretched Rui Patricio.
62’ URU 2-1 POR
CAVANIIIIIIIIIII!
You genius! Whatte finish to get back the lead. It’s Suarez’s ball again to Cavani on the left. The forward finishes with a beautiful curling effort.
60’ URU 1-1 POR
Pepe gets Portugal level with a bullet header as the centre-half towers over everyone else to guide the ball past Fernando Muslera. Pepe exploited the space offered to him in the box off the corner and has levelled up things at Sochi.
Really?
Always been a huge fan of Pepe.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 30, 2018
55’ URU 1-1 POR
GAME ON!
Corner for Portugal and an unamrked Pepe with a thumping header to level the scoreline.
51’ URU 1-0 POR
Corner for Portugal. Bernardo Silva takes it, but it’s a weak effort. Portugal need to up the ante at least when it comes to set-pieces.
48’ URU 1-0 POR
A scrappy start to the second-half. Already a few fouls committed by both the teams.
45’ URU 1-0 POR
It’s time for second-half. No changes for either team.
As it stands, Uruguay will play France in the quarter-final.
ZERO!
0 - Cristiano Ronaldo had 24 touches for Portugal in the first half against Uruguay, but none of those came in the opposition box. Distanced. #URUPOR #POR #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/2ZE2EahrWe
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 30, 2018
Wow!
Gary Neville on Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez: "I've loved every single second of their performance, it's a combination of a non-league striker's work ethic and world class ability." pic.twitter.com/XpL90U5nhE
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) June 30, 2018
First-half stats!
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