Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera substituted at halftime after costly World Cup error in loss to Spain
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera asked to be replaced at halftime during the World Cup match against Spain on Friday night after a mistake that led to a goal, coach Marcelo Bielsa said.
Sergio Rochet came on to start the second half with Uruguay trailing 1-0 in a match that ultimately ended in defeat and left the team on the brink of elimination.
“He is the one who decided to leave,” Bielsa said of Muslera, whose error came in the 42nd minute when he failed to deal with Álex Baena’s shot from inside the penalty area. The goalkeeper appeared to be caught off guard by the bounce and could not get enough control to push the ball away from goal.
The 40-year-old Muslera, who had previously retired from international duty, returned to the national team setup earlier this year under Bielsa, a decision that had drawn criticism from some Uruguay supporters.
Muslera had also been involved in earlier defensive mistakes in the tournament, including a 2-2 draw against Cape Verde and a 1-1 opening match against Saudi Arabia.
Bielsa defended his decision to include the veteran goalkeeper, saying his choice had been carefully considered based on form and experience.
“My decision was very well thought out. I made all the evaluations that I thought were necessary,” Bielsa said. “Now, of course, I can’t deny what happened and evaluate his performance. But he is a goalkeeper who was coming off a very good year and is a player with great personality and character.”
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