IT WAS a case of déjà vu for Ghana’s Black Stars as a missed first half Andre Ayew penalty curtailed their World Cup aspirations as they lost 2 -0 to Uruguay.
The irony was that both Ghana and Uruguay failed to reach the round of last 16 with a last gasp goal for South Korea in a 2-1 win against Group H winners Portugal sealing a dramatic day of action in Qatar.
Famously in 2010,Ghana and Uruguay faced each other in the quarter-final of the tournament.
In the closing minutes of extra time that day, with match tied at 1-1, Luis Suarez handled the ball to prevent Ghana from scoring the goal. Asamoah Gyan took the responsibility to convert the chance but send the ball over the cross bar.
Ghana fans had been waiting for their revenge against Uruguay and in particular Uruguay captain Suarez this World Cup.
The acrimony between the two nations was such that Gyan once reportedly said of the 2010 fixture: “I wanted to punch him because people had spoken things that had gotten into my head, but I realised I had to let it go because if I were Suarez, I would have done the same thing.”
A win today would have guaranteed Ghana’s progression to the last 16 while Uruguay needed a win and hoped that South Korea did not beat Portugal to progress.
The key moment of the match came when Ayew missed his spot kick for Ghana, minutes before Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored twice for the South Americans.
Ayew shot low to his right, but it was comfortable for ‘keeper Sergio Rochet to parry, before a defender hooked the ball to safety.
Ayew, and his brother Jordan, were both withdrawn at half-time as Ghana looked to fight back.
Early in the second half, the Africans survived a VAR review. Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez took the ball down on his chest and went down in the penalty area under pressure from Daniel Amartey. The incident was checked but the referee stuck with his original decision and did not give a penalty.
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