Bruno Fernandez’s brace in the second half took Portugal to the round of 16 of the World Cup, alongside France and Brazil, after beating Uruguay 2-0 on Monday.
Fernandez sent a cross to Cristiano Ronaldo, who tried to head it into the net in the 54th minute, but the ball that went into the goal without touching Ronaldo’s head was rewarded with a goal from Fernandez.
Fernandez converted an injury-time penalty to take his side into the knockout stage, with one match left at the end of the group stage.
Portugal won most of the match in Group H but struggled to create clear chances until the second half in a game in which Uruguay looked exhausted and lacking in perfection.
This was the third time Portugal had won back-to-back group stage matches at the World Cup Finals, and the team’s journey continued the previous two times to the semi-finals.
Ronaldo controlled the pace of the game with some spectacular moves early on as he used his shoulder to pass the ball to his team-mate, William Carvalho, who fired a shot over the bar.
Portugal threatened Uruguay but struggled to create chances, with Bernardo Silva, Fernandez and Joao Felix frustrated in front of goal early on.
But the best chances of the first half went to Uruguay in the 32nd minute when Rodrigo Bentancur recovered the ball and slipped past three defenders midway before his low shot was saved by forward goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Minutes later, Bentancur met Matias Oliveira’s cross from the left, to pass it to Darwin Nunez, who failed to shoot from close range.
Portugal fought hard for the opening goal and Felix came close in the 52nd minute when he sent a low shot into the net.
Finally, the goal came from Fernandez’s cross inside the penalty area which Ronaldo tried to head in, but deceived the goalkeeper, Sergio Rochette, and the ball landed in his own net as Ronaldo ran to celebrate the goal .
Uruguay tried to get back into the game after several substitutions, with Facundo Plisteri making an immediate impact, Luis Suarez going close to the net and Maxi Gomez hitting the post.
But the match was decided by Portugal and Fernandez, who calmly took a penalty kick in stoppage time after a handball in the box that required the use of the video assistant referee.
Fernandez came close to scoring his third personal goal in stoppage time, but his effort was blocked by goalkeeper Rochette near the post, and his shot in the closing moments rebounded off the post.
