SUMMARY
- Uruguay beat Ghana at the 2010 World Cup, ending the game 4-2 in the penalty shootout.
- Luis Suarez controversially gave away a penalty in the last minute of the game and snatched Ghana's winner away.
One of the most controversial incidents at the FIFA World Cup happened between Uruguay and Ghana in South Africa. It was undoubtedly one of the most eventful events in soccer history, with top stars representing their nations on the biggest stage in the world. That was when a questionable decision by Luis Suarez made waves all over the world, even at a time when social media was not at its peak.
Ghana made it out of a tough group, facing the likes of Germany, Australia, and Serbia. Despite failing to beat the Germans and Australians, Ghana was able to qualify for the Round of 16. The win against Serbia and the draw against Australia turned out to be enough for the African nation. They faced the United States and eventually beat them 2-1 as well. It surely made it seem like Ghana were the dark horses of the tournament, after taking down a talented US soccer team. In the quarter-finals, they were set to face Uruguay.
The South American country made it out of the group stages after beating Mexico and South Africa. They drew their World Cup opener with France. In the Round of 16, Uruguay faced South Korea and beat them 2-1 as well. A Luis Suarez brace was enough to get them to the quarter-finals. But that was when Suarez pulled something no one saw coming.
The famous Penalty caused by Luis Suarez
Ghana vs Uruguay World Cup 2010pic.twitter.com/Ozbqgxkipx— Viral Football (@ViralFootBallx) November 18, 2023
At the end of the first half, Sulley Muntari took the ball just a few meters away from Ghana’s half and blasted one into the bottom right corner from distance. It seemed like all was going right for Ghana until the great Diego Forlan bagged the equalizer for Uruguay in the 55th minute with one hell of a free-kick from the left side. Just like the entire tournament, the match had just been taking heat and kept fans on the edge of their seats for the majority of the game.
After a goalless ninety minutes, and almost extra time as well, Ghana had a clear chance to win the game. Dominic Adiyiah went for a thumping header toward goal after Fernando Muslera was caught in the scrappy play. But Suarez came in and defended his goal like a hero, but with his hands. The handball sent Ghana players into a meltdown, as the referee Olegário Benquerença blew the whistle immediately. Without any hesitation, Suarez had to walk, and Ghana had the chance to win 2-1 with a penalty.
Unfortunately for the Ghanaians, Asamoah Gyan missed the last-minute penalty, and the game went on to penalty shootouts. John Mensah and Adiyiah missed their penalties and gave Uruguay a 4-2 win in the penalty shootout. That was heartbreaking for the soccer world to witness when Ghana’s World Cup dream was crushed after being just inches away from scoring a winning header.
Fans have heavily criticized Luis Suarez for his decision to take the goal away from Ghana. But the FC Barcelona icon has never expressed regret over his decision to help his country at that moment. In one of the interviews during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Suarez said, “I don’t need to apologize. I would apologize if I had hurt a player. I made a hand, I took a red but it was not me who missed the penalty.”
His comments landed him in further trouble as well, but it is clear that Suarez does not look back on the incident negatively. As he mentions, he suffered the punishment for his action and received a red card right away. But he claims that Ghana should have converted the penalty that Olegário Benquerença awarded.
Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan once weighed in on Luis Suarez’s actions
Asamoah Gyan must be a familiar name for older soccer fans. He is one of the country’s biggest legends and boasts over 400 senior appearances for club and country. It is almost impossible to fathom how he must have felt after missing the penalty and failing to help Ghana win the game in 2010.
After Suarez shocked the world with his comments, Gyan addressed them. He said that he would have done the exact thing if he was in Suarez’s shoes. Just like the former Liverpool striker mentioned, Gyan admits that Ghana should have converted their chances from the penalty spot and that it’s not on Suarez that they failed to do so.
Even with Gyan’s comments, there is no doubt that Suarez will remain as a villain in Ghanaians’ eyes. The 2010 World Cup was the furthest they had traveled in any international tournament. To think they were almost through to the next stage will always haunt them for years to come. As for Uruguay, they lost to Netherlands in the semi-finals, and then to Germany in the third-place playoffs.