Uruguay accounted for the scalp of Portugal in the last 16 at the Fisht Olympic stadium in Sochi on Saturday night.
The game ended 2-1 with Edinson Cavani the hero with a brace for Oscar Tabarez’s side.
Uruguay came into the knockout clash having topped Group A courtesy of three straight wins that saw them progress without conceding a single goal.
As for the Iberians, Fernando Santos and his men finished second to Spain in Group B, winning one game and drawing the other two before finishing as runners-up.
Here are five things we learned from the entertaining encounter between Uruguay and Portugal.
World class performance from Edinson Cavani
Take a bow Cavani. That was a goal of real beauty. The towering frontman dropped short to receive the ball before switching a wonderful ball across field into the path of Luiz Suarez on the left wing. The Barcelona man cut inside on his right to pick a ball in towards the back post, where Cavani arrived to steer a header into the back of the net. Exquisite strike from a world-class striker. His second was simply sumptuous.
Flat Portugal defense
The Portuguese defense line were often caught napping by the predatory instincts of Cavani who was unstoppable with two goals. Perhaps it was an off day for Portugal.
Pepe rewinding to the good old days
Pepe reminded football fans of his quality with a stunning leveller for Portugal. A short corner saw Raphael Guerreiro whip a smart ball into the middle, which saw Pepe move in unmarked to send a powerful header past a helpless Fernando Muslera.
Brilliant Uruguay
Uruguay deservedly won after an industrious game of football in Sochi. The South Americans flew out of the traps with some smart pressing, and their piece of brilliance saw Portugal undone.
Determination earned Uruguay the ticket
Champions are known by the way they balance things in all situations. Uruguay knew they had to defend with the skin of their lives. They carried out the order with full force with a disciplined way of defending. (The Cable)
