Fernandes double fires Portugal through to World Cup last 16

LUSAIL, Qatar: A second half brace from Bruno Fernandes sent Portugal through to the last 16 of the World Cup on Monday (Nov 28), joining France and Brazil after a 2-0 win that outclassed an uninspiring Uruguay side that struggled to get into the match.

Fernandes scored first with a cross intended for Cristiano Ronaldo that sailed fortuitously into the net on 54 minutes and converted a spot kick in stoppage time to put his side into the knockout stages with a match remaining.

Ronaldo celebrated the first goal ecstatically as his own and smiled awkwardly when it was announced as belonging to Fernandes, who always looked threatening on the attack and twice came close to completing a hat-trick in the dying moments.

Portugal had the lion's share of the possession and dominated for most of the Group H match in Lusail, but struggled to create chances until the second half in a game where Uruguay looked out of sorts and lacking initiative.

It was the third time at a World Cup that Portugal had won two successive group stage matches and the previous two times led to streaks into the semi-finals.

The result leaves Uruguay with a difficult final match against Ghana, who kept themselves in contention by beating South Korea 3-2 in the earlier Group H match.

Ronaldo set the tone with some showboating early on when he used a shoulder to redirect a long throw into the path of William Carvalho, whose powerful volley sailed over the bar.

Portugal looked threatening on the approach but struggled to create goalscoring chances, with Bernardo Silva, Fernandes and Joao Felix frustrated early on.

But it was Uruguay with the best chance of the half 32 minutes in when Rodrigo Bentancur ran half the length of the field, skipping around three defenders