How Uruguay's Cavani-Suarez connection drives its success

The greatest partnerships boast both individual and combined brilliance. Lennon and McCartney, for instance, made some fairly decent music primarily because they were together greater than the sum of their parts.

Uruguay's spearhead duo Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez have juggled the position of leading man at times during their respective careers, but it took decisive contributions from both to propel their nation to a 2-1 World Cup last-16 win over Portugal on Saturday.

Related: Cavani's delightful double for Uruguay sinks Ronaldo's Portugal

The pair have something in common with the Beatles songwriters, too, even if only one of them has the hair to match.

Like John and Paul, Cavani and Suarez grew up in the same city: Salto. In fact, they were born there just three weeks apart in the winter of 1987.

"We come from the same place but we have taken different paths to get to where we are," PSG striker Cavani explained last year. "He left Salto when he was young, and I stayed there for longer."

"It's incredible," remarked Suarez. "We actually never played as kids together; we met for the first time when we were 20."

So they did, at the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. The young Celeste drew its first game of that tournament 2-2 against a Spain side that included Gerard Pique and Juan Mata. Who scored Uruguay's goals in that game? One apiece for Suarez and Cavani. And who set up Cavani's strike? Suarez, of course. The pair would also combine for their country's consolation in the last-16 defeat to the United States at that tournament.

The dynamic duo has gone on to win over 100 senior caps each for Uruguay. During the 16-game World Cup qualifying process, they combined for 16 goals, and on Saturday, they linked up to score one of the best of the tournament so far.

Cavani found Suarez from deep with a cross-field pass and steamed into the box to meet the Barcelona star's superb whipped cross at the back post and head (well, shoulder) it home. Despite the unorthodox finish, it was terrific football to watch. Per Opta, Suarez has now assisted 12 of Cavani's 45 goals for his country.

Theirs is the kind of partnership that takes just a second to flourish, too. On Saturday in Sochi, they exchanged just four passes during the first 45 minutes. Half of those were the one-two used to put Uruguay 1-0 up. In fact, Suarez's tremendous assist was one of only two passes he made to Cavani before the latter's 74th-minute withdrawal.

But when you have two such talented players who know each other so well, snatched moments like that are often all you need.

Since 1966, only two pairs of players have combined for more goals at World Cup finals than Cavani and Suarez, and Uruguay has now won its opening four games for the first time since it won the inaugural tournament on home soil in 1930. It faces a tournament favourite in France next in the quarter-final, and most of the money will be on Les Bleus.

Cavani and Suarez are both maligned for their own reasons. For the former, the criticism is usually related to chance conversion; for the latter, to his conduct. However, if both can stay fit, avoid suspension, and co-author more magical moments like Saturday's, there's no telling the height of Uruguay's ceiling.