Uruguay vs. England
2014 FIFA World Cup
June 19 | 3 ET | Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil
TV: ESPN, Univision, CBC in Canada
Uruguay and England come into Thursday’s battle beaten and bloodied after losing their first games. Uruguay was upset by Costa Rica rather handily while England took a well-fought loss to Italy in the jungle in Manaus. Each will look to rebound and put themselves in position to advance.
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RECOVERING FROM MANAUS: Not only did the Three Lions lose to Italy, but they had to play in extreme conditions in Manaus. The jungle atmosphere took a toll on the English players, as many were cramping during the second half of the game. They have only four days off in between games; will that be enough for the team to recover?
LALLANA CONFIDENT: He played just 10 minutes in England’s first game against Italy, but Adam Lallana is sure his team can rebound from the loss. Before the game he was quoted saying, “We've got great confidence in the camp, and I'm certainly confident that we're going to get the win.” Hopefully he gets the start on Thursday so he can do stuff like this.
SUAREZ RISES:Luis Suarez injured his knee on May 22, an injury that required surgery. It kept him out of the game against Costa Rica, but it looks like he will return for this game after declaring he was 100 percent on Monday. Even if he does start against England, is that really the problem? It certainly seemed liked the defense had major issues to deal with.
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT: While social media fell in love with Costa Rica as they defeated Uruguay, Los Charrúas were embarrassed for another reason. The jerseys they were wearing left little to the imagination, as many players looked as if they were playing in a much colder environment. But the tightness does have its benefits, according to Puma, the manufacturer. They describe the jersey as providing, “micro-massages on the skin, working with the human body to help maximise performance and provide players with a faster, more effective energy supply to the active muscles.”
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THE STAR YOU KNOW
- Luis Suarez, forward, Uruguay -- He will be looking to come back to the World Cup with a vengeance, as his great 2010 tournament is best remembered for his red card in the 2010 quarterfinals. He is also playing against players he sees every week and, as he says, “I know all the players in the England squad. I know some of them because they are teammates or opponents. They have defensive weaknesses and we can take advantage of them.”
THE PLAYER WHO WILL SURPRISE YOU
- Raheem Sterling, midfielder, England -- The 19-year-old was dangerous all over the field against Italy and will be looking to capitalize on the aging back line of Uruguay.
