Alan O’Sullivan netted the crucial Ireland goal after 20 minutes that sets up a clash with Russia on tomorrow back in Caserta.
Ireland knew before kick-off that only a defeat by two goals or more would see them eliminated from the competition and contained possession for the South American side within their own half for most of the game.
The opening goal came when a chipped ball by Rob Slevin was flicked behind by the Uruguayan midfielder. The ball fell to O’Sullivan who held off the challenges of two defenders and powered past them to net his third goal of the tournament, his 10th goal in the Universiade.
Ireland’s lead did not last for long however when Martin Oppenheimer got the wrong side of Sean Trimble and the DCU student tripped the attacker as he drove into the box. Referee Rohit Saggi pointed to the spot and Santiago Pallares coolly dispatch the penalty.
The second half followed a similar path with the Irish happy to allow Uruguay to keep the ball in their own half whilst trying to catch them on the counterattack. They went close on a number of occasions with substitute Cillian Duffy striking the post with a curling effort, and Simon Falvey also had a great opportunity to regain the lead when he beat the offside trap and tried to lift the ball over Ferreria in the Uruguayan goal, however the goalkeeper was alive to the situation and knocked the ball away.
Uruguay began to throw bodies forward as they tried to keep their tournament hopes alive and paid the price when their captain Bonaudi was shown a straight red card for body checking Falvey as the UCC striker looked through on goal.
It’s an exit from the competition for Uruguay while Ireland will lock horns with European opposition in Russia who they last met in the opening game of the 2013 Universiade when the Irish defeated them 2-1 in Kazan.
Ireland: Coffey (GK), Nugent, Manley, Slevin, Trimble (Duffy HT), Young (Noack Hofmann 73), McAlavey, Kelly, Hollywood (Quinn 70), McSweeney, O’Sullivan (Falvey 65)
Referee: Rohit Saggi (Norway)