Uruguayan outlet El Pais were not impressed with Liverpool star Darwin Nunez and his performance for Uruguay on Monday, as the South American nation suffered a 2-0 loss to Portugal – endangering their World Cup chances.
Nunez, 23, started for the second time at the World Cup on Monday. Uruguay have failed to score a single goal at this winter’s tournament – after a 0-0 draw with South Korea. Against Portugal, they were poor, struggling in the final third.
Winning his 15th cap for Uruguay, Nunez lasted 72 minutes before coming off. It was Cristiano Ronaldo – or Bruno Fernandes – that opened the scoring. Fernandes then scored what might be a second, from the penalty spot.
While the identity of the goalscorer for Portugal’s first is up in the air, the result is not. Uruguay now sit in fourth in Group H on one point, alongside South Korea. Portugal are through, with six points. Ghana are second, with three.
As we go into the final round of group stage fixtures, Uruguay are in danger of being knocked out. Nunez was meant to be the attacking spearhead to take Uruguay through, but he has not been that. El Pais handed him just 5/10.
“Vague. He only had one play in which he was able to squeeze the speed out of him and generated a corner around the 10th minute. Pepe won all the balls from above. Alonso took it out in the second half,” El Pais reported.
El Pais not impressed with Liverpool star Nunez as Portugal cruise to win
It has been a difficult start to life since Nunez left Benfica for Liverpool. He has nine goals in 18 games, which sounds pretty good. But he has struggled at times, snatching at chances, his red card against Crystal Palace.
Pre-season comparisons with Erling Haaland are out of the window. Nunez has so far, not lived up to his enormous price tag. Of course, he is young and over time, he will surely get to that stage. His form remains inconsistent.
While Portugal were the favourites, and Uruguay were underdogs, the South American nation still had the ability – and the players like Nunez – to cause an upset. But they failed to. Nunez could be on an early plane home, this week.
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