One of the great chapters in Uruguayan international football began on a hot, sticky night in February 2008. Uruguay were playing a friendly in their national stadium in Montevideo—the Estadio Centenario, venue for the first FIFA World Cup final in 1930—against Colombia. The home side were trailing 2-0 when Uruguay's coach Oscar Tabarez substituted star striker Diego Forlan with about 15 minutes to go in the match.
Tabarez threw on a 20-year-old Edinson Cavani for his debut. Within a few minutes, Cavani raced into the box and got on the end of a knockdown. Just as the ball bounced about seven or eight metres from Colombia's goal, he stabbed it home with the studs of his boot.