MATCH REPORT: Uruguay 2 England 1
Liverpool's Luis Suarez ushered England towards the World Cup exit door with a deadly double that left Roy Hodgson's side needing a miracle to progress from Group D.
The striker cashed in on a mistake by club-mate and England skipper Steven Gerrard to lash home the winner with five minutes to go.
He had earlier headed in a brilliant opener from Edinson Cavani's chip - a goal cancelled out by Wayne Rooney's first at a World Cup finals with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Only two wins for Italy over Costa Rica tomorrow and Uruguay next week will leave England with any chance of avoiding their first group-stage exit since 1958. Even then, they would need to beat Costa Rica themselves on Tuesday and hope the victory margin was enough for them to finish in the runners-up spot on goal difference.
As expected, Hodgson named an unchanged side to that which lost to Italy on Saturday, but moved Rooney into the middle to play behind Daniel Sturridge – Raheem Sterling deployed out to the right wing.
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera nearly presented Sturridge with an easy chance in the third minute when he let a regulation through-ball bounce off his palms, but luckily just out of the path of the on-rushing Liverpool striker.
Seconds later it was Joe Hart who had England fans on the edge of their seats, dealing uncomfortably with a Suarez corner, but danger was kept at bay.
England were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box courtesy of a handball by stand-in Uruguay skipper Diego Godin, but Rooney shaped his curling effort just wide of Muslera's right post.
If he wasn't at full fitness, Liverpool striker Suarez did an excellent job of disguising it and was at the heart of all of Uruguay's early moves, setting up Cavani from a corner, but the Paris Saint-Germain star couldn't keep his shot down.
Godin, who was booked for his earlier misdemeanor, was lucky not to see a second yellow card for his off-the-ball tackle with Sturridge, but referee Carlos Velasco Carballo showed leniency, merely awarding a free-kick.
England continued their pressure with Rooney nearly converting their first real chance, heading Steven Gerrard's free-kick onto the underside of the bar from only a yard out.
But it was Suarez who gave Uruguay the lead, heading Cavani's chip past Hart after drifting away from Everton's Phil Jagielka – his 40th international goal.
Sturridge nearly struck straight back for England, rushing on to Rooney's ball into the area, but Muslera palmed the powerful shot away at his near post to ensure his side went into the break with the lead.
Suarez almost caught England out again in the opening minutes of the second half, with his corner causing Hart problems once more as the Manchester City keeper was forced to punch the ball away.
The Three Lions' sluggish start to the half was exploited soon after by Cavani, who pushed his shot across the face of goal after good work from Cristian Rodriguez.
But Rooney almost found the leveller after latching on to Leighton Baines' low cross, but the Manchester United man struck the ball straight at Muslera who palmed it to safety.
And as England continued their spell of dominance, it was Rooney who netted the equaliser from close range after Glen Johnson's persistence down the right – allowing him to join Suarez on 40 goals for his country.
Suarez was to have the last say, however, capitalising on defensive confusion to fire the ball past Hart from the right side of the box.
Five added minutes were not enough for England to salvage anything from the game to leave them at the foot of Group D.
Uruguay: (4-2-3-1) Muslera, Gimenez, Godin, Caceres, Pereira, Lodeiro (Stuani 67), Gonzalez (Fucile 77), Arevalo Rios, Rodriguez, Cavani, Suarez (Coates 88). Subs not used: Munoz,, Gargano, Hernandez, Forlan, Perez, Ramirez, Maxi Pereira, Silva. Goals: Suarez 39, 84.
England: (4-2-3-1) Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson (Lambert 87), Sterling (Barkley 64), Rooney, Welbeck (Lallana 71), Sturridge. Subs not used: Wilshere, Lampard, Smalling, Foster, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Milner, Forster, Shaw.
Goal: Rooney 75.
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo.
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