Uruguayans have a saying called “La Garra Charrua,” which is the fundamental principle that means to win at all costs and to leave nothing behind. Uruguay did exactly that today and defeated Italy 1-0 to qualify for the round of 16. Tabarez had a tactical masterclass in arguably one of the biggest games of his career, leaving Prandelli in the dust and out of options. Switching from a 3-5-1-1 to a 4-4-1-1 in the second half proved fruitful as it allowed Uruguay to push forward and get the goal they needed to go through. Let’s take a look at how each player performed:
Muslera: Was not tested much throughout the game, but when he was, he responded to every question Italy asked of his capabilities. Strong and stable performance by the goalkeeper. 7.5/10
Godin: Just about the perfect game by the Atletico Madrid Center Back. Winning almost every header and completely nullifying Balotelli in the first half. His leadership was key again and helped keep the spine of the Uruguayan defense in tact. He is having the year of his life in terms of football, scoring the goal that won Atletico Madrid the La Liga Title and now scoring the goal that qualifies Uruguay to the next round of the World Cup. Couldn’t ask for anything more from him. 10/10
Jose Gimenez: Another excellent performance by the youngster, proving at every minute of the game that he is the right man to replace Diego Lugano at Center Back. Crucial tackles throughout the game and vital interceptions that helped keep Uruguay in the match. 9/10
Martin Caceres: Was as fiery as ever in defense for Uruguay, getting in the referees face and frustrating the opposition. Had a decent performance and was involved in some vital defensive plays for Uruguay. 7.5/10
Alvaro Pereira: Was very poor in the offensive side of his game with constantly misplaced passes and poor ball control. However, he was solid defensively at left wing back in the first half and provided stability in defense. 6/10
Alvaro Rios: Great game by The Bulldog, supported the midfield and cut off Italian attacks before they became to dangerous. He was always there to help channel the ball from defense to attack and did an excellent job at that. 7.5/10
Nicolas Lodeiro: Not the best performance by the central midfielder, losing the ball in midfield and not really helping Suarez with his passing. He did put in a decent defensive shift and had some moments of brilliance, but other than that he was stale throughout the match. 6/10
Alvaro Gonzalez: Worked hard throughout the game but once again was very quiet. Was solid in each position he played tonight but if Uruguay want to be a serious contender for the cup, players like Gonzalez have to step up and provide that extra “Oomph.” 6/10
Cristian Rodriguez: Worked extremely hard and made sure to get back on defense to help the team. Had a few moments where he showed off his attacking prowess but did not result in much. Uruguay could use a player like him to step up in times of desperation which we did not really see today. Overall good game, but we’re used to seeing better. 6/10
Edinson Cavani: A relatively tame performance from what we are used to seeing. He seemed to lack options when he was on the ball but worked hard throughout the game and dropped deep to press Pirlo. Decent performance but Uruguay needs more from the star man. 7/10
Luis Suarez: For the sake of this review, I’ll try to ignore what may or may not have happened throughout the game and leave that to other journalists to speculate. In terms of pure footballing, he wasn’t at his very best and seemed extremely frustrated with the Italian defense. A rare off-game by the striker but was not being helped by his supporting cast throughout the majority of the game as well. Either way, let’s hope he’ll pick it up for the next game. 6.5/10
Substitutes:
Maxi Pereira: Subbed in for Alvaro Pereira to help shift from a 3-5-1-1 to a 4-4-1-1. Slotted in at right back and put on his usual stable performance. Decent game and allowed for the tactical switch. 7/10
Gaston Ramirez: I thought he was excellent today and perhaps showed why he should be a starter for the next game. He was extremely calm and controlled on the ball and curled in the corner to Godin that helped win the match. 8/10
Christian Stuani: Did not see much of him throughout the game but provided fresh legs and a sense of urgency for the last final minutes of the game. Decent, but did not show his true colors in the little time he was given. N/A
