Cavani strike topples Wales and clinches China Cup for Uruguay

NANNING: Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani scored the only goal of the game as Uruguay defeated Wales 1-0 to win the China Cup.

The South Americans had the better of the match as Ryan Giggs' side struggled to replicate the form shown in their demolition of hosts China 0-6 last Thursday in the semi-final.

An open and attacking match in Nanning got off to a bright start as Luis Suarez hit the post from inside the box following a low cross after just two minutes.

The Barcelona forward again struck the woodwork in the 31st minute after latching onto a sloppy Wales back-pass and rounding goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. However the former Liverpool man hit the post with an open goal at his mercy.

Cavani stung Hennessey's palms in the 36th minute with a rasping shot from outside the box, and at the other end Wales midfielder Andy King also had a long-range effort saved, this time by Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera.

Wales' best chance of the first 45 minutes came just before half time when Gareth Bale flicked Harry Wilson's freekick just past Muslera's post.

The breakthrough came in the 49th minute when a long ball over the top of the Welsh defence found Cristian Rodriguez who squared to Cavani who tapped in his 100th goal for his country to put Uruguay 1-0 up.

Minutes later the former Napoli striker missed a golden chance to score his second when he mis-kicked a low cross from the right with only Hennesey to beat.

Both coaches made a raft of substitutions as the game wore on, and Uruguay held their lead to lift the trophy.

Earlier today at the same stadium, the Czech Republic beat hosts China 4-1 in the third-place playoff of the four-team tournament.