Uruguay Beats Italy, 1-0, As Suárez Bites Again; Costa Rica And England Tie

APTOPIX Brazil Soccer WCup Italy Uruguay

Luis Suarez after running into Italy's Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder in Natal, Brazil, Tuesday, June 24, 2014. (ap)

Uruguay prevailed on Tuesday in a must-win World Cup game against Italy, 1-0, to advance to the Round of 16, but the team may lose star striker Luis Suárez.

Diego Godín scored the only goal of the match, but all eyes are now on Suárez's mouth, which may have once again gotten him into trouble after he appeared to bite the Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Godin rose above a crowd of defenders in the 81st minute to meet a corner with his left shoulder and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had no chance.

About a minute before that, television replays showed Suárez either run into or bite – maybe both – Chiellini's shoulder as the pair clashed in the Italian penalty area.

The bite was not noticed by the officiating crew, but FIFA could review the play and penalize the player.

Suárez has been sanctioned twice before for biting opponents but never by FIFA. The first time was 2010, when he played for Ajax in the Dutch Eredvisie. He bit PSV Eindhoven's Ottman Bakkal during a 0-0 draw and was hit with a 7-game suspension by the league.

Three years later, now with Liverpool in the Premier League, he was banned for 10 games by the English Football Association for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

He also received an 8-game ban during

FIFA can sanction players for biting with bans of up to two years.

Four-time champion Italy, meanwhile, is heading home after the group phase for the second time in four years. Costa Rica was the surprise winner of Group D with seven points following a 0-0 draw with England on Tuesday. Uruguay finished second with six, while Italy and England went home with three and one point, respectively.

The last time Italy failed to proceed from the group stages in two successive World Cups came between 1950 and 1966, when Italy was eliminated in the first round four successive times.

Italy controlled much of the match with its passing accuracy in midfield while Uruguay relied on swift counterattacks and even attempted to surprise Buffon with shots from its own half.

FIFA listed the temperature at a sizzling 33 C (91 F), and clouds gave way to sun about midway through the first half, providing no relief for the players.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.