Great players don’t need a lot. Just a chance, or two. Luis Suarez made a laughing stock of the England defense, coming back from an injury to give Uruguay a 2-1 win that puts them right back in the heat of things in Group D, showing once again just how great of a striker he really is.
Suarez didn’t play in the first match and Uruguay put in one of the poorest performances we saw in this World Cup. What a different 86 minutes of football from one of the best players in the world makes. Uruguay didn’t play a great match and certainly not a complete match. Maybe a bit too defensive from time to time, but when they had their chances, or at least when Suarez had his, he grabbed it with both arms and lifted an entire nation on its feet.
Suarez scored his first goal in the 39th minute. One mistake from Steven Gerrard, missing a tackle in the middle of the pitch, freed up too much space for Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez. Cavani chipped it into the box and Suarez got away from awful marking by Phil Jagielka. Joe Hart stuck to the line instead of rushing out, and Uruguay had their lead.
England got back in the match thanks to the space given to them by Uruguay in the second half and the brilliance of Daniel Sturridge, allowing Glen Johnson to set up Wayne Rooney for the equalizer. However, another mistake by Steven Gerrard, this time a poor header off a Muslera goal kick, and the terrible positioning of England centre backs, allowed Suarez to find himself in front of Hart again. This time with his right foot, he finished it perfectly before leaving when he pulled a muscle (or simply faked it), as Uruguay held on against England, once again resorting to crosses that never work.
It’s not over in Group D. England need that either Italy or Costa Rica win their next match to leave themselves a chance, but besides the tragic story or season of Steven Gerrard, this evening in Sao Paulo was about Luis Suarez, who might have arrived a match late to this World Cup, but showed just what a huge impact he has on a football team and a football match, even when all he needs to show it is two chances given to him by poor defending.