Ghana 1 Uruguay 1 - Penalty pain for Ghana as Uruguay advance
Diego Forlan(credit:
Wikipedia)
Ghana's World Cup dream ended in penalty shootout heartache as Uruguay earned a World Cup semi-final clash with Holland.
Sulley Muntari rifled Ghana into the lead on the stroke of half time but Diego Forlan forced extra time, where Asamoah Gyan clattered the crossbar with a last-gasp penalty.
And in the shootout African hearts were broken when tame efforts from John Mensah and Dominic Adiyiah were easily saved by Fernando Muslera.
Uruguay started brightly and Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson was called into action early to keep out an effort from prolific Luis Suarez.
Kingson then denied Edinson Cavani before brilliantly tipping over another shot from Suarez.
But momentum swung in the direction of Ghana midway through the half and Isaac Vorsah powered a header agonisingly wide of Fernando Muslera's left upright.
Gyan then fired over, but the opener would come out of nothing in added time at the end of the first half, Muntari turning and letting fly from all of 40 yards to beat a stunned Muslera.
The hectic pace continued after the interval and Uruguay had appeals for a spot-kick waved away when Cavani appeared to be brought down by Vorsah.
But their sense of injustice would disappear on 55 minutes when Forlan's brilliant free-kick from the left-hand side caught out Kingson.
Ghana were not discouraged by the equaliser and Muslera saved well from Gyan, with Muntari almost pouncing on the loose ball.
It was end-to-end stuff and Suarez volleyed into the side-netting from a pinpoint Forlan cross, and the three-goal hitman then brought a fine save out of Kingson after exchanging passes with Nicolas Lodeiro.
Muslera spared Mauricio Victorino's blushes after the defender's poor clearance gifted Gyan a chance, but it was Kingson who was becoming the busier of the two goalkeepers.
The former Wigan man made another fine stop to prevent Suarez heading Uruguay in front, ensuring Ghana would play extra time for the second match running.
Uruguay again had appeals for a penalty dismissed in the extra period, this time after John Pantsil tripped Sebastian Abreu, but the referee would give a spot-kick in the dying seconds of extra time.
Suarez made a fine goalline block to deny a first effort from a Ghana corner, but when Adiyiah headed back in the Uruguay striker punched the ball away and was subsequently shown the red card.
However, Gyan, who had already netted twice from the spot during the tournament, rattled the crossbar and the game went into penalties.
Gyan bravely stepped up to take Ghana's first and found the top corner with a great effort, but the Africans were staring defeat in the face when Mensah's effort was saved.
They were given hope when Maxi Pareira blazed over the crossbar, but Adiyiah failed to beat Muslera and Abreu confidently chipped in his effort to send Uruguay through and break the hearts of an entire continent.
Ghana: Kingson, Sarpei, A Gyan, Pantsil, Mensah, Annan, Inkoom (S Appiah 74), Muntari (Adiyiah 88), Vorsah, K Asamoah, K-P Boateng.
Goal: Muntari 45
Uruguay: Muslera, Lugano (Scotti 38), Fucile Victorino, Cavani (Abreu 76), Suarez, Forlan, Perez, M Pereira, Arevalo Rios, A Fernandez (Lodeiro 46).
Goal: Forlan 55
Bookings: Sarpei, Pantsil, Mensah (Ghana), Fucile, Perez, Arevalo Rios (Uruguay)
Red Card: Suarez (Uruguay)