Only a minor miracle will keep England in the tournament now.

[jakeXT]

If Costa Rica and Italy draw on Friday afternoon, or the Central Americans beat Cesare Prandelli’s team, England will be eliminated with one match to spare.

If Italy won both their remaining games, Uruguay, Costa Rica and England will be tied for second spot, provided that Hodgson’s men win their final match.

That seems unlikely after the defensive performance shown here on Thursday night.

No team in World Cup history has gone through after two defeats, so England might as well start thinking about going home after next Tuesday’s game in Belo Horizonte against Costa Rica.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/england-1-uruguay-2-world-7297992

[Ron Obvious]

1. Slight precedence...

If the BeIN sports commentator is to be believed, Chile made it through with 3 points in 1998, the only time in the 32 team era that has happened. I can't be arsed to look it up at the moment to verify.

The hardest part of the equation to believe is Italy bothering to win against Uruguay if a simple draw will send both teams through (and it probably will), this will be a replay of Germany - Austria '82 after the German 1-0.

[jakeXT]

2. You are correct

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_FIFA_World_Cup

[Bosonic]

3. Possible if Balotelli on a promise from the Queen

Balotelli demands reward of kiss from Queen

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Italy striker Mario Balotelli joked on Thursday that if his side rescue England's chances of World Cup qualification by beating Costa Rica, he expects a kiss from British monarch Queen Elizabeth II.

England's 2-1 loss to Uruguay in Sao Paulo left them on the verge of elimination and they need Italy to beat Costa Rica in Recife on Friday if they are to stand any chance of reaching the last 16.

"If we beat Costa Rica I want a kiss, obviously on the cheek, from the UK Queen," Balotelli wrote in a tweet to his 2.36 million Twitter followers, moments after the final whistle in the England-Uruguay game.

Balotelli, who spent two-and-a-half years at English side Manchester City, has already harmed England's hopes of progressing from Group D by scoring the winning goal for Italy in a 2-1 victory when the sides met in Manaus last Saturday.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/balotelli-demands-reward-kiss-queen-215026436--sow.html;_ylt=AwrBEiIlXKNTfzcA4nPQtDMD

[Ron Obvious]

4. I fear the contingency is a remote one... n/t

[jakeXT]

7. The press loves it

[truebrit71]

5. They're done...

...they were toast before they stepped off the plane in Brazil....fucking useless every single one...

[BeyondGeography]

6. That second Suarez goal...ouch

Gerrard is getting killed in the press. The whole game was a sad nightmare for him on both ends of the field.

[jakeXT]

8. "slain by a player who was in a wheelchair a month ago" ouch

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/10912388/England-vs-Uruguay-Luis-Suarez-double-seals-victory-after-Wayne-Rooneys-first-World-Cup-goal.html

[SwankyXomb]

9. Italy goes down to the Ticos 0-1

and England joins Spain in the Losers Lounge. Couldn't happen to a bigger bunch of underachievers.

[jakeXT]

10. I wonder if the heat and humidity made it so difficult for Italy to perform/ nt