Italy is knocked out while late penalty sends Greece through

LUIS SUAREZ appeared to bite an opponent for the third time as Diego Godin’s dramatic winner sent Uruguay through to the World Cup knockout stages.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Down they go: Both men fell to the ground, with Chiellini clutching his shoulder and Suarez holding his teeth. Net photo

Group D, Yesterday

Costa Rica 0-0 England

Italy 0-1 Uruguay

Group C

Greece 2-1 Ivory Coast

Japan 1-4 Colombia

LUIS SUAREZ appeared to bite an opponent for the third time as Diego Godin’s dramatic winner sent Uruguay through to the World Cup knockout stages.

Video replays showed Suarez appearing to sink his teeth into the shoulder of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini - the striker avoided immediate punishment for the offence despite Chiellini showing the referee tooth marks, but a hefty retrospective punishment seems certain.

Suarez has previously served bans for biting PSV’s Otman Bakkal when playing for Ajax in 2010, and Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic while representing Liverpool in 2013.

A dull and ill-tempered first half saw few chances. Uruguay went close when Luis Suarez shot from a tight angle straight at Gianluigi Buffon, and Italy had a couple of long range strikes.

The most Mario Balotelli could manage was a yellow card, seemingly leaping four or five feet into the air to clump Alvaro Pereira to challenge for a high ball. Little happened after the break until the 58th minute, when Christian Rodriguez sent a chance wide.

A minute later, Claudio Marchisio saw a straight red for going studs up into a 50-50 tackle. Suarez almost broke through when Buffon saved from close range, impressing after a grim performance against Costa Rica.

Two minutes after Suarez’s moment of madness, Godin met a corner perfectly to put his side ahead with just 10 minutes left. Suarez should not play another game in Brazil if FIFA take a look at his actions.

Meanwhile, Costa Rica marched into the second round of the World Cup proudly top of a Group D containing three former winners after a 0-0 draw with already-eliminated England.

Costa Rica, assured of progress before kickoff, comfortably held their own against an England team showing nine changes from the team beaten by Uruguay in a game short on goalmouth action or any real tension.

England keeper Ben Foster touched a curling free kick from Celso Borges on to the bar in the first half while Daniel Sturridge sent two shots just wide for an experimental England team hoping to restore some pride after being eliminated at the group stage for the first time since 1958.

Costa Rica finish on seven points and will face the runners up from Group C - likely to be one of Ivory Coast, Japan or Greece. Uruguay finished second in the group and will play the Group C winners, probably Colombia, following their 1-0 win against Italy on Tuesday. Italy finished third on three points with England last on one.

Samaras penalty sends Greece through

A stoppage time penalty from Giorgios Samaras sent Greece into the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.

The Africans were seconds away from heading into the second round themselves after Wilfried Bony's 74th minute equaliser looked to have given them the point they needed to progress.

But Samaras went down inside the box and rose to convert the penalty and send his team through to play Costa Rica in the second round.

Substitute Andreas Samaris gave Greece the lead in the 42nd minute beating Boubacar Barry following a mix-up in the Ivory Coast defence.