Cristiano Ronaldo was given credit for the opening goal in Portugal’s 2-0 victory over Uruguay on Monday, but Bruno Fernandes claimed he mistakenly believed he had scored it. The Ronaldo’s cross from the Manchester United midfielder flew straight in, but the seasoned striker missed the ball by the thinnest of margins. After Uruguay was assessed a penalty for handball late in the game, Fernandes added the second from the spot and was named the game’s MVP.
Portugal’s advancement to the round of 16 in Qatar was ensured by the victory. “I celebrated as if it had been Cristiano’s goal, it seemed to me that he had touched the ball, my aim was to cross the ball for him,” Fernandes said. “What’s important is that we were able to go to the next round and (secure) a very important win against a very tough opponent.”
In order for Portugal to defeat South Korea on Friday and secure first place in Group H, Fernandes emphasised that they would have to perform at their peak. “We know we will find a very organised team in front of us with a huge skill-set, as we’ve seen in their last matches,” added Fernandes. “We’ve played at different times and that has allowed us to watch South Korea play. Our objective is to win every match, and we have one ahead of us.”
Fernando Santos, the coach of Portugal, preferred to highlight Fernandes rather than the entire team when offering accolades. “I think it’s the result of the team’s work,” said Santos. “If the team does not play well then the player himself will not have a good performance. I think in the first two games, the team has played well. Diogo Costa (the Portugal goalkeeper) saved two important shots, so I don’t think we should be focusing on individual players.”