World Cup 2022: Uruguay break Ghana hearts again as both miss out on last 16

Uruguay celebrate one of their goals against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

There was no revenge for Ghana against Uruguay on Friday as the Black Stars were beaten 2-0 by the South Americans in the teams' Group H meeting, but there was also heartbreak for Luis Suarez et al in Al Wakrah.

Ghana were determined to beat Uruguay after the controversial events of their 2010 World Cup quarter-final in South Africa, when Suarez stopped what would have been a clear goal in the dying seconds of extra time with his hands and the Black Stars lost in the shootout after missing a penalty which would have won it right at the end.

Instead of avenging that defeat, there was more misery from the penalty spot for Ghana here as Andre Ayew saw his tame spot-kick saved by Sergio Rochet in the first half.

Midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta, brought into the team for this match by coach Diego Alonso, then scored twice to give Uruguay a 2-0 lead at the interval.

And it looked like the South Americans would be taking their place in the last 16 until South Korea's late winner against Portugal put them above the Celeste on goals scored.

There were still around seven minutes of added time left when South Korea's game against Portugal had finished and Uruguay threw everything at Ghana to find a goal that would qualify them for the last 16, but there were unable to find another breakthrough and Suarez could only watch on from the bench in agony it what was surely his final World Cup game.

Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.

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