Edison Cavani has joined teammate Luis Suarez in scoring in three consecutive World Cups with his strike in a 3-0 win against Russia. The strike duo are the only Uruguayans in history to achieve the feat.
Cavani grabbed the third and final goal of Uruguay's 3-0 thrashing of hosts Russia in Samara as the team recorded three wins from three group games, and advanced to the knockout stage in first place. They will now play in Sochi against the runners-up of Group B in the last 16.
Russia, who had already qualified from the group stage for the first time in their history, will return to Moscow and their home Luzhniki Stadium, for the knockout stage against the Group B winners.
It was Suarez who opened the scoring at Samara Arena with a free-kick within 10 minutes with a low strike that benefited from some questionable defending from veteran center back Sergei Ignashevich.
Denis Cheryshev then scored an unfortunate own goal when a shot cannoned off his outstretched leg and into the net, giving Igor Akinfeev, who had already set his feet to dive for the ball, no chance.
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Russia's misery was compounded when Cavani bundled home a late third to join Suarez as the only La Celeste players to score in three consecutive World Cups.
With their win over Russia, two-time World Cup winners Uruguay became the first team to win all three consecutive games since Argentina at France '98.