Uruguay are out of the World Cup after a 1-0 defeat to Spain following another error-strewn performance by Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Alex Baena’s goal late in the first half decided the game in Guadalajara as veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera could only push the ball into his own net. Bielsa substituted Muslera at half-time as Uruguay’s miserable campaign unravelled.
Fede Valverde, the Real Madrid midfielder and Uruguay’s captain, was hooked before the hour mark and the Group H contest ended in ignominy as Agustin Canobbio was sent off in stoppage time for a wild and desperate lunge on Pau Cubarsi.
Spain were far from fluent but Unai Simon had little to deal with and they still top the group but the story of the night is that it is Cape Verde who progress alongside them. Uruguay’s two-point haul is not enough to send through as a third-placed team.
La Roja set up a round of 32 tie with the runners-up of Group J, which is currently Austria. They will play in Los Angeles on Thursday July 2 with kick-off at 8pm.
Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa had a tournament to forget
The key moments from Guadalajara…
42: GOAL! Baena’s snap-shot was fumbled into the net by Muslera
46: SUB! Goalkeeper Muslera was taken off by Bielsa at half-time
57: SUB! Uruguay’s captain Valverde was substituted by Bielsa
86: CROSSBAR! Torres was through but hit the top of the bar
90+5: RED CARD! Canobbio lunged in on Cubarsi and was sent off
What the result means…
Analysis: Bielsa’s nightmare World Cup
Bielsa is a cult hero to supporters of Athletic Club and Leeds United but his reign in charge of Uruguay is surely coming to an end and he will not be mourned by their supporters after a campaign fraught with difficulty since before it began.
In hindsight, Bielsa doomed himself with the decision to bring Muslera out of retirement. The 40-year-old goalkeeper was arguably at fault for all four of the goals that Uruguay conceded at this World Cup. Had he kept any of them out they would be through.
A tournament that began amid question marks over his man-management that were highlighted by Luis Suarez ended in Bielsa hauling off Valverde and seeing Canobbio – another whom he had fallen out with – completely lose his discipline. It was a mess.
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera is beaten by a shot from Spain’s Alex Baena
Bielsa: I gave Uruguayan football nothing
Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa:
“The match was quite even. We deserved a draw. We should have had a draw. Performance was not the issue.
“I wasn’t able to maximise the potential of Uruguay’s players. With Valverde’s substitution, I sought to have a stronger presence in attack.
“What I gave Uruguayan football is nothing because any contribution that a coach can make to a national team is futile if you don’t have a positive outcome. If you ask me how they’ll remember me, they’ll remember me as someone who left nothing.”
Uruguay must reset | Spain have not clicked
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville on ITV:
On Uruguay: “This will be a reset moment. They have had this great generation of players who have just retired in the last 10 years and they have got this new generation who are not quite at the same level.
“You have a manager who has got experience and a great reputation all around the world but he has just decided to basically take everything down with him on the way out. He will probably not survive this.
“Valverde has been taken off, the goalkeeper who has 137 caps has been taken off, so there will be a massive fall out but out of these moments it can sometimes be a reset and a moment of reflection.”
On Spain: “Something doesn’t feel like it has clicked yet but we are not halfway through the tournament yet. You are going to have to play five more games to win it. Spain are the masters at understanding a tournament and pacing it.
“You don’t have to peak too early so I would not rule them out yet but they don’t quite look like they have the energy. That something is missing right now.”
