Uruguay beat Mexico 1-0, both qualify for knockout stage (Second lead)

RUSTENBURG - Uruguay beat Mexico in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium here Tuesday to win Group A and make it to the last-16 of the football World Cup for the first time in 20 years.

Luis Suarez headed the winner past Oscar Perez two minutes before half time from an Edinson Cavani cross.

Uruguay finish top with seven points and are likely to play Nigeria or South Korea, who play later Tuesday in Durban.

Mexico came second thanks to a better goal-difference than South Africa’s and will face Argentina if, as expected, they top Group B after their match final match with Greece in Polokwane.

Diego Forlan celebrated afterwards saying: “We won and we have made history. The important thing was to qualify and we will face the next game when the time comes.”

With a draw guaranteeing a place in the knock-out stages for both sides, those who might have expected a pre-arranged stalemate were set for disappointment as both sides went on the attack.

Mexico in any case needed a win to overtake Uruguay at the top of Group A, and Rafael Marquez tried his luck from distance inside the first minute.

Uruguay soon got into their stride with Maximiliano Pereira blasting a free-kick over. Ajax striker Luis Suarez then beat Mexico’s off-side trap only to shoot wide of Oscar Perez’ goal.

Forlan was continuing his fine World Cup form and in the 17th minutes he took a corner from the right but Mauricio Victorino headed over, with the goal at his mercy. Mexico immediately threatened from a corner at the other end and Diego Lugano had to clear the danger.

Alvaro Pereira should have done better when he shot from just inside the box despite Forlan screaming for a pass, and Uruguay almost paid for that miss when Andres Guardado crashed a shot on to the bar from outside the penalty area.

Uruguay temporarily went down to 10 men when Diego Perez had to go off for treatment for a head wound, sustained jumping with Guardado.

With South African fans inside the Royal Bafokeng Stadium celebrating the Bafana Bafana goals going in at the hosts’ game with France, both teams became aware that a slip could even cost them their place in the last 16.

And in the 43rd minute, it was Mexico who slipped: Edison Cavani crossed from the right and Suarez rose to head past Oscar Perez with a goal that was celebrated inside the stadium by both Uruguay supporters and South African fans.

When Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai blew the half-time whistle Mexico went down the tunnel 1-0 down and flirting with shock elimination.

Uruguay could have brought that World Cup exit closer 10 minutes into the second period when Forlan’s free-kick was headed goalwards by Lugano, only for Oscar Perez to make the save.

Mexico had better news from South Africa’s game as France pegged a goal back and they almost levelled themselves on 65 minutes.

Francisco Rodriguez should have equalised when he connected with Pablo Barrera’s cross, but somehow the unmarked PSV Eindhoven defender missed the target.

Then, with two minutes left of normal time, Cavani shot from distance and Oscar Perez had to get down sharply to his right to make the save.

Mexico’s lack of fire-power up-front continues to be a problem for Javier Aguirre’s side, but for once defeat was easy to take as they made it through to the last-16 with their victors Uruguay.