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| Once again the quarter-finals proved to be a glass ceiling for African national football teams as Ghana went out to Uruguay on penalties. What was perhaps the most absorbing match played at this World Cup ended in such dramatic fashion that it will go down in football folklore. The game began with Ghana on the back foot, struggling to string passes together and surrendering territory to Uruguay. The South Americans have looked a potent outfit in this tournament but struggled to break down Ghana’s defence, their best chances coming from set pieces. An early corner came off John Mensah towards his own goal, seeing Richard Kingson make a point blank save that he may have known nothing about. The best chance of the half came when Isaac Vorsah was rolled by Luis Suarez, whose volley was beaten up and over the bar by the Ghana keeper. Vorsah also spurned Ghana’s first proper opening, his header from a corner not matching his tremendous run and leap. Ghana got better as the game went on, Anthony Annan in particular. During the opening stages he gave away possession with some hurried and inaccurate passing, but he grew into the game. By the end the ‘new Essien’ was stamping his authority all over its face. He was involved as Ghana broke down the right, a low cross seeing Asamoah Gyan drive his finish just past the post. As per usual, Ghana were creating chances but proving anything but clinical when it came to finishing. As the half drew to a close, Sulley Muntari was allowed to turn and set himself in acres of space, albeit nearly 40 yards from goal. He thrashed the Jabulani goalward and it took a wicked swerve and beat Fernando Muslera, putting Ghana into the lead with the last kick of the first half. It was a blow to the Uruguayans but they came out fighting and ten minutes into the second half they were level. A poor foul by John Paintsil gave Diego Forlan a free kick a couple of yards from the left corner of the box. Kingson seemed unsure of his positioning, using a three man wall but still taking a step to his right just before Forlan shot, putting him behind the wall when the free kick was taken. Had Kingson not moved he probably would have been able to push Forlan’s powerful, dipping shot over the bar, but that should take nothing away from a wonderful effort by the Atletico Madrid man. Ghana hit back through Gyan, who put everything into a drive from the edge of the area and though Muslera couldn’t hold it, he got to the rebound first. Uruguay then went close to taking the lead, Forlan’s cross from the left looping over Kingson and apparently presenting Suarez with an unmissable opportunity, but he blazed it into the side netting. As the game wore on, the midfield disappeared and the game became almost turn-based attacking. Both sides had chances but extra time seemed inevitable, and so it proved. Ghana were the stronger side in both periods but were still frustrated by being unable to even register shots on target despite creating good openings for themselves. This all changed in the final minute when a free kick from the right was dropped by Muslera. The ball bounced for Stephen Appiah, whose volley was cleared off the line. The ball flicked up in the air, and young substitute striker Dominic Adiyiah was first to it. His header was goalbound but in a moment some would call cheating and others would call self-sacrifice, Luis Suarez used both hands to stop it crossing the line. He was quickly red-carded and a penalty given, but it was heartbreak for Ghana who had been denied a sure place in the semi-final. Asamoah Gyan stepped up, having comfortably converted two penalties in the tournament already. With the last kick of the game his shot rattled the top of the bar and went over. It was a terrible moment for the young striker, who had impressed many in this tournament with his endeavour, his movement and link-up play, as well as an excellent goal to win the round of 16 match against the USA. However, it was to prove decisive as a shell-shocked Ghana went on to lose the penalty shoot-out 4-2. Both John Mensah and Dominic Adiyiah took poor spot kicks that were relatively easily saved by Muslera. Gyan scored his, but the Uruguayans missed only one, allowing veteran striker Sebastian Abreu to clip his penalty straight down the middle of Kingson’s goal. Gyan was inconsolable, clearing blaming himself for the game’s loss. However, he has been one of the heroes of a great performance by this young Ghana side, who will ride again probably to even greater things. If there needs to be a villain then it has to be Suarez, but Ghana, and the whole African nation, can be proud of what they showed at this World Cup. To be denied in the final seconds by a handball on the line is gutting, but it also proves that Ghana every bit deserved to be in the semi final, as much if not more than Uruguay. Though it remains a glass ceiling for now, a wise man would not bet against Ghana in the future. |
