Uruguay's Giorgian de Arrascaeta celebrates scoring their first goal with coach Diego Alonso and teammates during the Qatar World Cup final Group H match between Ghana and Uruguay at the Al Janoub Stadium on December 2, 2022. (REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo)
Doha: Uruguay’s famous footballing son Luis Suarez crying in the dugout said it all.
Although the South American country won their last group H match against Ghana 2-0 at Al Janoub Stadium yesterday evening a late goal by South Korea against Portugal in the other match of the day was enough for the elimination of Suarez’s team from the World Cup.
When South Korea scored their second goal and led Portugal 2-1 in the stoppage time at the Education City Stadium, Suarez’s team had only one option left – score another one soon and book their spot in the knockouts. At that point, Ghana needed two goals - a draw - to go through.
It was a frantic final 20 minutes – Uruguay pressing hard the accelerator and Ghana trying to apply the brakes.
Suarez, who assisted his team’s two goals scored by attacking midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta in the first half, watched nervously from the dugout after being substituted as his players tried desperately for the winner that would have placed them ahead of South Korea in goal count. Ghana blocked valiantly and thwarted a couple of attempts.
Uruguay were cruising to the last 16 before the news of Koreans scoring their second against Portugal was broke to them and Suarez watched tearfully in the final moments before his country was sent packing from the World Cup group stages for the first time since 2010.
Uruguay's Giorgian de Arrascaeta celebrates scoring their second goal. (REUTERS/John Sibley)
Yesterday’s match had another intriguing drama. There was a sense of déjà vu when Ghana failed to score from a penalty in the 21st minute.
It was reminiscent of the West African country’s famous penalty miss against Uruguay in the quarterfinals of 2010 World Cup after Suarez had purposely handled the ball to prevent them a certain goal. They were knocked out in the resulting penalty shoot-out.
Ghanaian fans had called yesterday’s match ‘revenge time’ and surely they should be thinking so after seeing Uruguay being knocked out and their nemesis Suarez, 35, appearing devastated in his last World Cup.
“Without doubt, we did everything we could. We paid dear,” said Uruguay's goal scorer de Arrascaeta after the match.
“We are sad because we left our all in this game, we scored goals and the outcome didn’t depend on us, it left us out.”
Uruguay coach Diego Alonso rued missed opportunities.
“For 80 minutes, we were qualified. We had many chances to do it but in the end it wasn’t possible,” he said.
“We had four or five chances in the last minutes but unfortunately we didn’t score.”
Ghana centre-back Daniel Amartey said his team were determined to prevent Uruguay from qualifying for the World Cup knockout stage if they failed to advance.
“I just told my teammates that we need a goal now but they need a goal now so we have to defend for ourselves so that if we can’t go, they don’t go,” Amartey said.
“It was tough because you can see their centre-back, everybody comes (forward).
“Uruguay needed one goal to go through and you can see we defend four against five or three against two but we managed to defend.”
Suarez shook hands with all the Ghana players before the start of the match but soon he was booed by Ghana supporters as he had the first run down the left flank.
But it was clear that the Uruguayan veteran was determined to play a crucial role in the all-important match as his team came out in the attacking mode from the word go.
But it was Ghana who squandered a golden opportunity to score within the first 30 minutes.
Their forward Mohammed Kudus won the crucial penalty through VAR when he was fouled by Uruguay custodian Sergio Rochet. But their captain Andre Ayew – the only survivor from that 2010 clash - walked up and clipped a tame shot towards the bottom-right corner which Rochet kept out without much difficulty.
Soon Uruguay responded when their chief attacking weapon Darwin Nunez charged through and lifted the ball over the goal keeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi only for centre-back Mohammed Salisu to boot it away.
It didn’t take long for Uruguay to score their first goal. In the 26th minute de Arrascaeta took advantage through a header when Ati-Zigi partially stopped a drive by Suarez off a cross from the right.
De Arrascaeta got his second in the 32nd minute. Suarez was involved again. He lobbed a Nunez header to de Arrascaeta who was unmarked who brilliantly slammed a volley under the goal keeper.
Ghana were shell-shocked after the brace and clearly looked short of ideas. Ghana failed to create opportunities.
At half time Uruguay led by 2 goals to nil.
Ghana had a chance immediately after the restart.
Kudus stretched at the back post to meet a ball but failed to make contact after winger Osman Bukari chested it down.
Ghana were trying to put their act together after a listless first half.
In the 71st minute Kudus beat two players but then thrashed over from 25 yards. Soon they had another opportunity when striker Antoine Semenyo dragged a left-footed shot just wide of the far post.
With the news of South Korea sealing a famous win over Portugal, Uruguay in their quest for qualification created a number of opportunities in the dying moments of the match only for Ati-Zigi and Ghanaian defenders to thwart them.
In the stoppage time striker Edinson Cavani went down in the area after a challenge from Alidu Seidu but Uruguayan appeal for a penalty was not heeded, frustrating the players and their veteran campaigner Suarez on the touchline.
