|
|
 |
Uraguay over Ghana 4-2 in penalty kicks shootout
|
By Jeff Z. Klein
July 2, 2010
Johannesburg, SA — An unbelievable finish at Soccer City in Johannesburg put Uruguay through to the semifinals and Ghana out of the tournament in absolutely heartbreaking fashion.
Ghana was awarded a penalty kick at the end of extra time when Uruguay’s Luis Suarez punched a Ghana shot off the goal line with his hand — a denial of a certain goal and a red card offense, but punishable only by giving the Black Stars a penalty kick as the last act of the match. But Asamoah Gyan blew his chance to give Ghana a 2-1 victory by shooting the ball off the bar and out of play.
That sent the match to penalty kicks, where Uruguay won. Sebastián Abreu, whose penalty in qualifiying vs. Costa Rica got the Celeste to the World Cup, chipped the winning shot past Ghana keeper Richard Kingson.
Sulley Muntari scored at the very end of the first half to give Ghana a 1-0 lead, but Diego Forlan equalized in the 55th minute on a free kick, his third goal of the tournament.World Cup Quarterfinals
Argentina vs Germany
Saturday, July 3, 2010
10:00 AM EDT
Green Point
(Cape Town, South Africa, ZAF)
Paraguay vs Spain
Saturday, July 3, 2010
2:30 PM EDT
Ellis Park Stadium
(Johannesburg, South Africa, ZAF)
Suarez will miss Uruguay’s semifinal match vs. the Netherlands. But his handball to prevent Ghana’s winning tally will renew the debate over whether the deliberate prevention of a certain goal ought to warrant the automatic granting of that goal.
To follow the match as it unfolded, minute by minute, click on “more” and read on.
JOY AND HEARTBREAK So sad for Africa
The whole continent behind Ghana, but such horrible disappointment! A penalty at the end of extra time, but Baby Jet Gyan shot it off the crossbar! And then the penalty-kick contest, but it is Uruguay who prevail. The Charruas, who put South Africa out with a 3-0 win in the group stage, now have put out another African side, Ghana. Such joy for brave little Uruguay, but such cruel deception for proud Ghana, and all the fans across the continent.
UNBELIEVABLE Little Uruguay victorious! Ghana in tears!
The Black Stars inconsolable! The Charruas rejoicing! Incredible scenes at Soccer City ... Africa, finished at this tournament! El Loco, the man whose penalty against Costa Rica in qualifying got Uruguay into the World Cup, gets the Celeste into the semifinals against the Dutch!
URUGUAY El Loco Abreu, for the victory ... HE CHIPS IT IN!
URUGUAY WIN! URUGUAY! El Loco took a long run-up and then chipped it softly in!
GHANA Adiyah ... GREAT SAVE! 3-2
A one-handed diving save by goalie Muslera! Uruguay up, 3-2! One kick away from victory!
URUGUAY Periera ... SHOOTS WAY OVER THE BAR! 3-2
He missed badly! It remains 3-2 for Uruguay!
GHANA Mensah ... STOPPED! 3-2
The captain took only a one-step approach, and Muslera guessed right to make the save! 3-2 Uruguay!
URUGUAY Scotti ... RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. 3-2
Not much art to that, but it counts. Fans booing every Uruguay penalty-taker.
GHANA Appiah ... GOAL! 2-2
No chance for Muslera as the captain goes high.
URUGUAY Victorino ... GOAL 2-1
He goes high, and nothing Kingson could've done about it.
GHANA Baby Jet -- roofs it! 1-1
The man who missed the game-ending penalty evens the PK contest.
URUGUAY FIRST Forlan takes ... goal! 1-0
Easy.
PENALTIES! Impossible drama!
I'll try to go kick by kick here with you. Unbelievable!
PENALTIES! What an ending!
That last free kick from Ghana led to a scramble in the box! Goalie Muslera saved one, a defender saved a second on the line with his leg, but the third ball Suarez knocked down with his hand! He was red carded for that! And Baby Jet Gyan, who has scored twice from penalty in this tournament, fired the game-winning shot OFF THE CROSS BAR!
122ND MINUTE BABY JET TO TAKE THE PENALTY!
AND HE FIRES IT OFF THE CROSS BAR! NO GOAL! NO GOAL! THE GAME GOES TO PENALTY KICKS! HOW DID HE MISS?! A SHOCKING FINISH!
122ND MINUTE YES! HAND BALL ON THE LINE BY SUAREZ!
Penalty! Penalty!
121ST MINUTE Last free kick from the side of the area for Ghana!
LOOSE! SAVED OFF THE LINE TWICE! CLOSE CLOSE! HAND BALL?!
120TH MINUTE Muslera clears off the post!
A long shot that he reached around the post to punch away.
All Ghana now, but Uruguay hanging on for the bell!
A free kick in the Uruguay end!
117TH MINUTE Baby Jet forces Fucile to give up a corner
Great work from young Asamoah Gyan.
The corner, but Abreu clears over the end line. Another corner!
K. Asamoah takes ... again rejected! But for a throw-in now!
Pantsil throws ... PRINCE JUST MISSES WITH THE HEAD! HE LUNGED AND SENT IT LESS THAN A FOOT WIDE FROM JUST FIVE YARDS AWAY!
117TH MINUTE Penalties impend!
Just three minutes to go!
Ghana pushing up, applying pressure!
116TH MINUTE Ball loose in the Uruguay area!
Adiyah causing fits to Scotti! Finally Pereira clears it from near the post!
114TH MINUTE Appiah can't quite settle in the area
Appiah came close between two defenders, but no puede, and the ball is cleared.
Now THE BALL FALLS TO FORLAN AT THE EDGE OF THE GHANA AREA, BUT HE SHOOTS JUST WIDE!
113TH MINUTE Charruas better than I indicated
I misspoke before -- Uruguay reached the semis in '54 and '70. Thanks to Al V for the correction. ... Remember, just about 3.5 million people live in Uruguay, that's it, and look at all they've accomplished over the years.
111TH MINUTE Baby Jet heads over the bar
Appiah serves it up from outside the box, but the redirection is off.
109TH MINUTE Play breaking down
Ghana can't get forward. Uruguay can't control the ball. Fatigue the enemy now.
106TH MINUTE The last 15 minutes!
Baby Jet in the Uruguay end, but he couldn't quite hold a long serve into the area. Please, please, someone score a goal and spare us the agony of penalties!
106TH MINUTE One period done. Please, no penalties!
Jeffrey Marcus from the stadium, on extra time:
In the Round of 16 match against the United States, Ghana scored in the third minute of extra time and proceeded to simulate away the rest of the game. The United States wasn't going to score if it had the full 30 minutes -- or 30 more minutes than that -- as Ghana were the better team that day. But the repeated pauses for "cramping" were suspicious and tiresome. It was even enough to provoke Bill Simmons's ire.
Ghana Coach Milovan Rajevac has already used two substitutes, replacing goal-scorer Sulley Muntari in the 88thminute with Dominic Adiyiah, a forward, and bringing the veteran Stephian Appiah on for the young Samuel Inkoom in the 74th.
Uruguay has used all three of its allowed substitutions. The 11 guys in blue will have to finish out the game without reinforcements from the bench.
This game is much more exciting than the slog that was Japan-Paraguay last week. That one went to penalty shootout. This one has had enough chances that it could be decided in the run of play.
105TH MINUTE Kingson the save!
Suarez set up Lodeiro, whose shot pinged to Kingson, who saved it at the post and just kept if from going out for a corner. Muy bien from the Ghanaian keeper!
105TH MINUTE Kingson the save!
Suarez set up Lodeiro, whose shot pinged to Kingson, who saved it at the post and just kept if from going out for a corner. Muy bien from the Ghanaian keeper!
105TH MINUTE Kingson saves!
He stops a shot that pings to him off Lodeiro, and then he punches away a Forlan cross. The Ghana keeper, again making the difference for the Black Stars!
103RD MINUTE URU corner cleared
Baby Jet got to it in the air just before it came to Suarez. the man can defend too.
AND NOW A BLATANT DIVE IN THE BOX FROM EL LOCO! The ref does not fall for it. ... But on the replay it looks like Abreu may indeed have been tripped -- can't see by whom -- but it looked so fake that the ref let it go.
101ST MINUTE Corner Uruguay!
Maxi Pereira causes trouble on the right wing and earns a corner.
Sarpei down for a bit after colliding with Suarez.
Forlan to take the corner, naturally.
97TH MINUTE BABY JET GIVES 'EM FITS!
Baby Jet battles through the Uruguay area, outdueling Arevalo Rios and Scotti, until finally he can't hold it anymore! Scotti went into him hard, and Baby Jet stays down -- there's a stretcher crew out there now. That could it be it for the dancing star! ... No, wait -- he's up again.
96TH MINUTE Mensah takes a tray hand to the neck
from El Loco Abreu, and he stays down for a minute. But no real damage. Abreu was red carded in the opener against France, remember.
95TH MINUTE Can Ghana become the first African team in the semis?
Or, will little Uruguay reach the last four for the first time since they won the World Cup in 1950?
94TH MINUTE Updated
K. Asamoah sends over the bar after receiving a nice wall pass. All Ghana in the early going here in extra time.
93RD MINUTE Ghana have controlled since the kickoff
And now they earn a corner, and a big roar from the expectant crowd.
It's Appiah, but Pereira heads away. Another corner!
Wait, a yellow, to Mensah -- for dissent! He pointed to his eyes to scold the ref.
Another corner, cleared with difficulty by Uruguay.
91ST MINUTE We start again!
Ghana have certainly been here before -- it took only three minutes of extra time for Baby Jet Gyan to split the American defense and beat Tim Howard with a shot, the different in Ghana's 2-1 victory over the United States in the octavofinal last Saturday.
FULL TIME 30 more minutes of agony!
Extra time!
18 shots from Ghana, 4 on target. 13 shots from Uruguay, 6 on target.
21 fouls committed by Ghana, 13 by the Celeste. Possession: 50-50!
45 PLUS 3 Now Ghana!...
They press! Appiah wide, into the middle, A DRIVE, BUT BLOCKED BY URUGUAY! I didn't see who shot, but it was hard, and it was stuffed.
And now the whistle!
90 PLUS 2 Fucile a throw in deep in the Ghana end
But it is cleared. Ghana break, four on four!
Wide to Prince! But his cross is way, way too far. The Black Star attack fizzles!
90 PLUS 1 3 minutes added
Here come Uruguay! But Ghana stand firm and win the ball back as the Charruas lose it out of bounds.
90TH MINUTE Last moments of regulation time!
Throw in for Ghana deep in the Celeste end!
Pantsil goes short, now crosses long to Appiah, but Pereira stays with him. Corner Ghana!
But it is cleared!
But more pressure from Ghana!
88TH MINUTE Sub Ghana
Muntari, the goal scorer, is out. In is Dominic Adiyah. What up with that?
86TH MINUTE I've switched to Univision
The Englishman and the American on ESPN are entirely too calm for this. We need an appropriate level of hysteria.
86TH MINUTE Uruguay having the better of it...
... but not decisively. Baby Jet could strike at any moment for the Black Stars.
Five minutes left, then extra time beckons!
84TH MINUTE JUST TOO FAR FOR FORLAN!
A lead pass for Forlan into the box he couldn't quite latch on to! Kingson was able to gobble it up gratefully.
83RD MINUTE Shooting gallery
A Fucile shot bounces harmlessly to Kingson.
At the other end, Ghana's Prince blasts it about two storeys over the bar.
Some 85,000 fans at Soccer City, being treated to a nail-biter.
81ST MINUTE Corner for Ghana
Pantsil's throw-in was headed the wrong way by Victorino, leaving a corner. ... Muslera punches away!
Now at the other end, an Uruguay breakout ends with Pereira shooting too high.
Danger everywhere!
79TH MINUTE Nerve-racking!
Ball after ball being lofted into the mixer at both ends of the field! Danger lurks everywhere! The goalkeepers must be jonesing for a bottle of Ativan, or at least a good, stiff drink.
77TH MINUTE Yellow to Sarpei
For grabbing Suarez. Another free kick for Forlan ... REDIRECTED JUST WIDE BY SUAREZ! That missed by only inches! He was wide open, the prolific Suarez!
A corner now, and it pings off Ghana defenders and needs Kingson to dive on the ball!
Jeffrey Marcus, at the stadium:
Uruguay had never been behind in this tournament before falling down 1-0 to Ghana. The frustration showed before Diego Forlan drew Los Charrúas even with a superb free kick. Known the past 40 years for being a bit thuggish, Uruguay had only received three yellow cards in four matches in South Africa. Tonight, they've racked up three in under an hour. They've committed 11 fouls so far... on pace to be their least disciplined performance of the tournament if they keep tripping and the kicking at the Ghanaians' ankles.
76TH MINUTE Sub Uruguay
El Loco Abreu comes in to replace Cavani, who missed a bunch of changes in this game on the right wing.
75TH MINUTE The secret of the African ball
Jeffrey Marcus on Forlan's goal:
So, by my unofficial count, only three people have unlocked the secret of the Jabulani. Keisuke Honda, the Japanese midfielder, his teammate Yasuhito Endo, and now Diego Forlan. The Uruguay striker commanded the beguiling adidas orb up, over and down into the Ghana goal, leaving Richard Kingson dumbfounded.
It was as nice of a direct kick as Honda's and Endo's against Denmark, which I never get tired of watching.
74TH MINUTE Sub Ghana
Young Inkoom out, old Appiah in. The captain who called for prayer and fasting before the match.
Now a tricky long shot from Forlan just goes wide. Omnipresent danger for both sides!
73RD MINUTE Close calls!
Inkoom, who has served in several dangerous balls for Ghana, does it again, but it is just cleared.
Replay shown of the last Uruguay corner. John Mensah actually outjumped his own goalie's hands to get to the ball with his head.
Victorino gives away to Baby Jet, WHO SHOOTS ... but Muslera alertly saves. He fired on the volley, did young Asamoah Gyan!
71ST MINUTE Forlan with Uruguay's ninth corner
But it is cleared. Ghana have only two corners in this game.
70TH MINUTE 20 minutes to go!
Ghana on a fine long-range goal from Muntari at the death of the first half. Uruguay on Forlan's artful free kick for his third goal of the tourney, early in the second half.
NOW SUAREZ BARGING IN, BUT KINGSON PUSHES IT OVER THE BAR! The shot was right at him, but it was a blast from only about eight yards away!
68TH MINUTE Dangerous free kick for Ghana 25 yards in front!
Scotti pulled down Baby Jet, and now a dangerous chance for Ghana!
Muntari or Baby Jet to take. Four men in the Uruguay wall.
Baby Jet shoots -- well wide! He got it round the wall, but it would not swerve back toward goal.
66TH MINUTE Muslera punches away well
Baby Jet serves it to Prince, but Muslera punches away.
Now PRince goes down in the area amid three defenders, appealsa for penalty but gets no sympathy. Replay shows that Pereira was literally trying to relieve him of his shorts with a good hard yank.
65TH MINUTE End-to-end action
Reader Bugzy asks if this game is better-played than Netherlands-Brazil earlier. I can't say, Bugzy, but it has gotten very exciting.
And here's Prince receiving a long free kick and firing hard, only to have it rejected by the Celeste defense.
63RD MINUTE The Charruas just miss!
Forlan crosses over Kingson's head, but Suarez cannot direct it in at the far post! So very close for Uruguay!
62ND MINUTE Kingson loses the thread!
A routine ball rolling back to Kingson, and he misplays it! It rolls out over the by line! Had that happened on the goal frame it would've been an Uruguay goal!
The ensuing corner does no damage, but whew, Kingson has to be relieved. What a flub that was!
Cavani breaks in and crosses, but right to Kingson. Forlan was open in the middle and waiting for the ball.
60TH MINUTE The hour! And a yellow for Perez
He comes scything in at the center of the park and cuts down K. Asamoah. A well-deserved yellow.
Baby Jet's break a minute ago was actually offside, but no call.
Now a Ghana break is short-circuited by an offside that is flagged down.
58TH MINUTE Forlan tries for a foul near the area
by flopping on a long pass.
AT THE OTHER END, BABY GYAN COMES CLOSE! His shot is saved by a diving Muslera, but he left a rebound that fortunately for his was cleared. Corner Ghana!
56TH MINUTE Little Uruguay, alive and kicking!
The Celestes, the Charruas, back in this game!
55TH MINUTE GOAL FORLAN! GOAL FORLAN! 1-1
A curling free kick over the wall from 24 meters, goes in just under the bar! They'll blame Kingson, but it was not his fault! A beautiful goal from Forlan to tie it for Uruguay!
54TH MINUTE Yellow to Pantsil and free kick for Ghana.
Nice play by Fucile, who is tripped by Pantsil. Free kick from about 24 meters away, on an angle ... Forlan again ... GOAL! GOAL! GOAL!
53RD MINUTE Corner Uruguay
It's been a while, but here's Forlan -- and once again it's headed away by Ghana. They counterattack with a 4-on-3, but no go.
48TH MINUTE Yellow to Arevelo Rios
A foul that may not have deserved a yellow, but there you are.
More incursions from Uruguay, and as EPSN's Ian Darke points out, they do seem to miss their injured skipper Lugano.
We should also add that Fernandez was subbed out at halftime at midfield, replaced by Lodeiro.
Lodeiro's an Ajax man, like Suarez. Maybe some of that Dutch good luck will rub off on them.
46TH MINUTE The second half begins, and almost a penalty!
Forland sent Cavani away less than a minute into the second half, and Vorsah collided with him at the edge of the area. Uruguay ask for a penalty, but not even a free kick is given.
FINAL HALFTIME THOUGHTS Muntari the hero so far
Last thoughts from Jeffrey Marcus at the stadium during the break:
Sully Muntari spent most of Ghana's World Cup run sitting and waiting and sitting and waiting. Before tonight, his only minutes on the field were as a second half substitute. He played just one half of soccer spread out over three games.
Tonight, he's starting only because Andre Ayew is suspended.
Muntari has not hidden his dissatisfaction. He's been curt with reporters. He was almost sent hom earlier in the tournament after getting into an argument with Milovan Rajevac, the Black Stars Serbian coach. Then, just before halftime, Muntari's left foot said all the player had wanted to say the past three weeks. He fired from from 27 yards out, bouncing the ball once, to beat the diving Fernando Muslera only seconds before the referee blew the halftime whistle.
Ghana goes into the dressing room with a lead for the second time this tournament (they were up 1-0 on the United States in the round of 16) after the first 45 in Rustenburg last week. Uruguay goes into the dressing room down for the first time the entire tournament.
HALFTIME CHIT-CHAT Joy in Jo'burg
Uruguay dominated the first half hour, but Diego Forlan couldn't do anything with all the corners and free kicks he had! Then Ghana took over the last 15 minutes, and that long shot by Muntari fooled Uruguay keeper Muslera and gave all Africa hope!
Jeffrey Marcus, at the stadium, paints this portrait of the enthusiasm in Johannesburg ahead of the match:
People here are dressed in red, yellow and green for Ghana. South Africans wasted no time jumping on the Black Star express after Bafana Bafana were knocked out. Ghana knows its playing for all of Africa. Yesterday, Asamoah Gyan said: "We are the only African team to be at this level for the competition. I'm really proud of my boys and at this moment the whole of the world has respect for Ghana."
HALFTIME A GHANA GOAL AT THE DEATH!
Muntari, dismissed from the Ghana side repeatedly over the years, almost sent home from this tournament for arguing with the coach but allowed to stay after apologizing to the whole team, scores!
The whistle for halftime follows immediately! Ghana ahead at the break!
45 PLUS 2 GOALLLLLLLLLL GHANA! GOALLLLLL MUNTARI!
A long shot, 40 yards, it curves hard to the right, and Muslera is wrong-footed! Ghana 1-0!
45TH PLUS 1 Ghana all over Uruguay!
They're taking the ball away from the Uruguayans!
44TH MINUTE Fucile back on his feet
Whew. Looked bad there for a minute.
Baby Jet takes a long shot that Muslera has to move to stop. But definitely, Ghana have been in control the last dozen minutes.
AND NOW PRINCE TRIES A CHILENA THAT JUST MISSES! Flying through the air, he sent it just wide off a fine cross from Inkoom! That would've been the goal of the tournament, for sure.
42ND MINUTE Bad injury!
Uruguay defender Fucile goes way up high after a high ball and lands with the full force of all his weight on his shoulder, neck and head.
He's lying still. His eyes are closed, twitching.
41ST MINUTE Forlan scuffs up a free kick
He sent it too long for Pereira -- he's bunging up all these corners and free kicks he's taking.
Now Suarez and Pantsil argue over each other's supposed dives. The Portuguese ref has to separate them.
38TH MINUTE Uruguay sub -- the captain leaves
Lugano out of the defense -- apparently his knee really was hurt earlier -- and Scotti on.
And Muntari just heads wide! A ball went into the box, and he beat two defenders -- including new man Scotti, and Muntari just redirected wide.
Now Prince, frustrated over a ball that went out, head-butts the corner flag in frustration. Temper, temper, Mr. Boateng!
37TH MINUTE Another dangerous cross from Ghana
Inkoom sent it in, and Pereira had to be sharp to head it away from Prince.
34TH MINUTE Muslera just beats Prince to the ball
It was a 50-50 ball in the Uruguay box.
Speaking of vuvuzelas, this just in from Jeffrey Marcus at the stadium:
There is appreciably more vuvuzeling at matches featuring an African team than matches without a team from the home continent. That might seem pretty obvious, but it sounds blaringly obvious to anyone in Soccer City watching Ghana struggle against Uruguay (and the referee, who is calling a restrictively tight tame).
Several reporters in the press tribune, and a few fans I've met, have been wearing earplugs to games. I am not, though I wish I was.
The tooting seems to increase whenever Ghana has a throw in, if you can believe that. The Black Stars haven't registered a shot on goal or won a corner kick yet, so I guess returning the ball to the field of play ranks as the most notable accomplishment for the team so far.
34TH MINUTE Human cheering
Every time the Ghanaians break out, you can hear people cheering expectantly in the stands, over the buzz of the vuvuzelas. There's real excitement when they break forward.
Question from DutchGirl, who thought all yellows were wiped out now. No, ma'am, only *after* the quarterfinal matches.
31ST MINUTE Baby Jet just misses!
Ghana attack the length of the field, and the centering pass is redirected along the ground only six inches wide of the near post! Suddenly the Black Stars have come alive!
30TH MINUTE Ghana finally get a corner -- just misses!
Vorsah comes in for a header and whips the ball just wide of the back post! That missed by only about six inches, and on Ghana's first corner, yet!
28TH MINUTE Corners, Uruguay 6-0 Ghana
And Forlan tries a short corner this time, but nothing comes of it. The Charruas definitely have the advantage so far.
26TH MINUTE Kingson stops Suarez!
Suarez pounced on a loose ball, fires from the edge of the box, and Kingson just tips it over the bar! Another great save from the Ghana goalie.
Forlan's free kick is cleared. But defender and captain Lugano comes up limping after twisting his leg going up for a header.
Here's Suarez again -- another Uruguay corner!
25TH MINUTE Forlan shoots high
A bad Ghana giveaway at midfield and Uruguay counter -- but Forlan fumbles the ball momentarily and loses the advantage. Still, he ends up taking a shot that misses high by not too much.
ESPN's Ian Darke tells us about Forlan dedicating every goal he scores to his sister, who was paralyzed in a car crash, and his vow as a youth was to pay for her care for the rest of her life.
22ND MINUTE Demanding Uruguayan readers
Reader Taki asks for an Uruguay video at halftime. Yo Taki, there's one of them getting the winning goal in 1950 lower down in this post, and yesterday I posted a whole thing with videos of them winning in both 1930 and in 1950. What do you want from me?
20TH MINUTE Ghana and Uruguay battling hard
Muntari, Baby Jet and Asamoah struggling hard in the Uruguay end against stout Celeste defense. It all ends with a yellow against Uru defender Fucile -- his second of the tourney, and he'll miss the semifinal if the Charruas get that far.
Ghana free kick flashes across the outside of the area chica, but no one makes contact. Uruguay clear the danger.
18TH MINUTE Kingson great reaction save!
A Forlan corner is nodded on by Cavani, zips between the heads of two Ghana defenders, and Kingson flashes his hands up reflexively to prevent the goal. A nervous episode for Ghana!
17TH MINUTE Identity crisis in Virginia
Rich from Virginia writes in to outline the dilemma of his Uruguayan-Dutch-Argentina wife. The three faces of Eve?
15TH MINUTE Suarez and Mensah wrestling in the area
Quite a battle they've got going there -- results in a corner for Uruguay. Forlan takes it -- he takes everything -- but the Charruas are whistled down for a foul. So free kick, Ghana.
13TH MINUTE Baby Jet gets scolded by the ref
He stopped a long outlet pass from goalie Kingson with his upper arm, chafed at the whistle and complained, and got a stern talking to from the Portuguese ref.
On the subsequent free kick from Forlan, Kingson punches poorly -- the ball went straight up into the air -- but before it came down the ref called a foul against Uruguay. Yes, even though Kingson was horse-collaring a Celsete forward. Goalies always get the calls eh?
10TH MINUTE Long lead pass for Suarez
An interception and a quick counter from the Celestes, but just a bit too far on the 50-yard pass.
Now Uruguay again -- Suarez shooting hard from the angle at the edge of the box! -- but Kingson stops easily.
PARTY, 8TH MINUTE The Ghanaians at Sun City
A reader has requested that I remove this video from the top of the post, and I always heed my readers' (reasonable) requests. So here are the Ghana players dancing near their their hotel a couple of nights ago:
5TH MINUTE Another Uruguay corner
Forlan takes ... bounces to the near post, and Inkoom has to clear it. Another corner for the Charruas!
Forlan again ... Kingson punches out. Goalie Kingson was so incredibly good punching out crosses vs. the U.S. in the last game. He was the difference between victory and defeat for Ghana, and he didn't get nearly enough credit.
4TH MINUTE Nice break by Uruguay
Forlan sets up Fernandez, who crosses dangerously from the corner. It goes along the bar and too far for everyone, but a warning shot of sorts from Uruguay over the Ghanaians' bow.
2ND MINUTE Mensah clatters down Suarez
A warning from Mensah in the form of a rough tackle at the halfway line. Message: Suarez will face a rough time today if he wishes to try another curling beauty shot like the one he pulled off that beat South Korea in the last game.
KICKOFF! Ghana to start
And we're off -- the ball is rolling! Who will face the Netherlands in the semifinal? At some point 90 to 120 minutes from now, we'll know.
• Soccer, World Cup News Archive Index
2010, 2009
• Soccer Tickets
• World Cup Tickets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
