The Celeste meet the Black Stars in a quarter-final encounter that few would have predicted...
After a 40-year absence from the World Cup quarter-finals, Uruguay, winners of the competition in 1930 and 1950, have made a spectacular return to football’s greatest stage. Only 90 minutes against Ghana stand between the Celeste and a first semi-final appearance since Mexico 1970.
Oscar Tabarez has his team well drilled at the back and boasting one of the most potent strike-forces in the competition at the other end of the pitch. When Lee Chung-Yong scored his scrappy header for South Korea in the last 16 affair, it was the first time the Celeste had leaked during the tournament. Rocked by this blow, Luis Suarez scored a terrific curling shot with 10 minutes to play, his second goal of the match, to book a place for Uruguay in the last eight.
Thus far, Tabarez has managed to stay pretty cool over the enormity of what his side could achieve this summer. The semi-finals are within Uruguay’s grasp, but the coach has managed to remain humble.
“Before we began this World Cup, we saw this great harmony among the players and I said to them: ‘The people back home have aspirations, they have dreams and we have to deliver them’,” he explained, according to FIFA’s official website.
“We all have objectives, both professional and personal, and our objective is to go as far as we can in this tournament.”
It could be argued that Uruguay have yet to face top quality opposition this summer. France, whom they met in the group stages, were fantastically disappointing, while Mexico, South Africa and South Korea are solid but unspectacular teams at such a level. Indeed, it could even be argued that the Black Stars will be the Celeste’s toughest test to date.
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