Rajevac: Suarez a trivial cheat, not a hero
Reuters - Saturday 10 July 2010, 12:59
SOFIA - Ghana's Serbian coach Milovan
Rajevac is still fuming after Uruguayan striker Luiz Suarez
stopped a goalbound shot with his hand on the line in the last
minute of extra time in their World Cup quarter-final.
"Some say that Suarez is a hero and now he's walking
proudly," Rajevac told Bulgarian sports daily Meridian Match on
Saturday, a week after the match at Soccer City.
"Come to your senses, people. He's not a hero, he's a
trivial cheat. What hand of God? It was the hand of the devil,"
he said.
Suarez's "Hand of God" denied Ghana the prize of becoming
the first African team to reach the last four of a World Cup and
sparked a worldwide debate.
Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty to leave the match
deadlocked at 1-1 after extra time and Uruguay won the shootout
4-2. Uruguay were then beaten 3-2 by Netherlands in the semi.
Suarez was hailed a hero in South America and a cheat in
Europe and Africa. Ghana had been the remaining African
survivors in the tournament after six teams started.
"FIFA should change the rule following this fraud," added
Rajevac. "Referees should allow a goal and not award a penalty
when someone stops the ball with a hand on the line like this.
"I think we could've gone all the way to the final and
spring a big surprise - an African world champion.
"But everything has crumbled after Gyan's miss and in fact,
we've lost a match that we should've won and it's really
painful."
Rajevac said he would like continue his work with the
African team but he has yet to talk to the Ghanaian federation
about a contract extension.
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