Ghana defender, Daniel Amartey, has expressed delight that Uruguay were not unable to qualify for the knockout round at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Uruguay beat Ghana 2-0 when they clashed in the last game of their group but were unable to qualify due to fellow group mate, Japan beating Portugal 2-1.
The last time Uruguay and Ghana clashed was in 2010 t the World Cup in South Africa. Uruguay won the game at extra time to deny Ghana the chance of making it to their first semi-finals.
Suarez was sent off but Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent penalty and Uruguay triumphed in the shoot-out.
Once South Korea scored in stoppage time in Qatar on Friday, Uruguay realised they needed another goal to reach the last 16 while Ghana needed two.
But the South Americans missed out on goals scored even though they were level on points and goal difference.
“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.
Asked if it was important to deny Uruguay a place in the last 16, Amartey said: “For me, yes.
“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.”
Speaking further, Amartey aqid the Ghanaian squad had no grudge against Uruguay because only captain Andre Ayew was in the 2010 squad that lost to Suarez and Edinson Cavani.
And he admitted the team did have some regrets after Ayew missed a penalty minutes before Uruguay opened the scoring in the first half.
“It’s football, it happens. If we score that penalty I think we kill them but we miss the penalty and you can see the game changed,” he said.
Ghana coach Otto Addo said his team were fighting until the bitter end.
“For us, it was about trying to score,” he said. “I know that anything can happen, and even if it’s the last minute, if you get the ball one more time you can score.”
