Despite defeating Ghana 2-0, Uruguay was unable to advance to the round of 16 of the World Cup.
What happened in the game?
Ghana was left to regret Andre Ayew’s missed opening penalty.La Celeste appeared to be in line to finish second in Group H, but South Korea’s dramatic victory over Portugal allowed them to advance because they had scored more goals than Diego Alonso’s team.
Ghana once again paid the price for a wasted penalty kick in their first meeting since a contentious World Cup quarterfinal in 2010, when Asamoah Gyan missed one after Luis Suarez was sent off for a handball on the goal line, and this time Ayew failed to score.
Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored twice shortly after that to give Uruguay the win, but it wasn’t enough to keep them from going home early with Ghana, leaving Suarez sobbing on the bench.
Midway through the first half, Ghana missed a wonderful chance to take the lead when Ayew’s penalty kick was deflected away by Sergio Rochet, who had been called for a foul on Mohammed Kudus after referee Daniel Siebert reviewed the play on the sidelines.
Soon after, Mohammed Salisu made an outstanding goal line clearance to deny Darwin Nunez, but in the following minute, Uruguay punished Ghana when De Arrascaeta scored from two yards after Lawrence Ati-Zigi had been ineffective in stopping Suarez’s shot.
Six minutes later, the Flamengo forward added a second goal, volleying home with precision from eight yards after Suarez had expertly picked him out.
When Sibert was asked by VAR to review Daniel Amartey’s challenge on Nunez, Uruguay thought they would have their own penalty. However, the striker was found to have handled the ball, and the Ghana defender also appeared to have made contact with the ball before bringing the Liverpool player down.
With more than ten minutes left, Al Janoub Stadium received word of South Korea’s victory, but Uruguay was unable to score the third goal necessary to advance. After the game, a number of Uruguayan players angrily argued with Siebert because they believed Edinson Cavani ought to have been given a penalty late on.
