Uruguay defender Diego Lugano has described the Group
D meeting with England on Thursday as 'life or death'
Still smarting from a shock opening defeat, Uruguay’s
coach and captain said on Monday they were working on how to annul England’s
speedy strikers in a “life-or-death” Group D clash.
Although the 2010 World Cup semi-finalists Uruguay
were surprisingly beaten 3-1 by Costa Rica on Saturday, many considered England
hard done by in a 2-1 defeat by Italy after one of their best attacking
performances under Roy Hodgson.
“England deserved better luck,” Uruguay’s coach, Óscar
Tabárez, said after a training session at the team’s hotel in rolling
countryside outside the town of Sete Lagoas.
“The English attackers showed their great technical
potential. They’re fast in decision-making and running. We have to limit them,
because they are going to repeat that offensive style against us,” he added.
Also known for their attacking prowess, Tabárez
declined to confirm if striker Luis Suárez would start against England. The
Liverpool forward has recovered from knee cartilage surgery but is short of
match fitness and practice.
“It’s a possibility he will play, I can’t say more,”
said Tabárez , known as El Maestro or “the Teacher” at home.
“It’s a tough game but not impossible. We need a
victory in order to progress, they do too.”
Uruguay’s captain, the defender Diego Lugano, familiar
with the English style from the Premier League where he plays for West Bromwich
Albion, said the team was doubly motivated after their disappointing debut.
“It’s life or death on Thursday. We’re up against two
of the best in the world now [England and Italy]. It’s an enormous challenge,”
said Lugano, a veteran of the 2010 finals in South Africa where Uruguay
finished in fourth place.
Expected to breeze past Costa Rica, the South
Americans were devastated after their capitulation.
“We were annoyed, furious, disappointed,” Lugano said.
“But you have to be mature and understand this is football, mistakes cost you
hard. Now we’re united again. Our faith is intact.
We mustn’t lose our heads,
lose our way. We must keep having fun and dreaming.”
England will be hoping the scintillating Suárez does
not make it for Thursday, but even without him Uruguay have another of the
world’s best strikers, Edinson Cavani, at their disposal.
“We hope Luis is fine and plays but if not, then it’s
up to the rest of us,” Lugano said. “The English players are fast and strong.
That demands a lot of the defenders. It’s not going to be easy. We have to
improve.”
