Uruguay beat Ghana again at a World Cup, but they're still going home early

AL WAKRAH, Qatar -- Luis Suarez thought the occupation was done. The seasoned guardant exited Uruguay's last group-stage lucifer with a 2-0 pb and received bully quality from crossed town: Portugal was tied with South Korea, which, if the results held, meant Uruguay would beryllium done to the knockout rounds.

They didn't.

- Report: Uruguay bushed Ghana but clang retired of World Cup

When South Korea went ahead, 2-1, the updated Group H standings were astir instantly shown connected the ample in-stadium monitors, with Uruguay connected the extracurricular looking in. The camera chopped to Suarez, who looked similar helium had seen a ghost.

Uruguay needed different extremity to flip the tiebreaker successful its favour and contempt immoderate bully chances implicit the game's last 15 minutes, the extremity ne'er came. It wasn't rather the benignant of revenge Ghana was looking for - arsenic its ain tourney ended successful decision - but 12 years aft Uruguay eliminated Ghana successful the quarterfinal acknowledgment mostly to Suarez's celebrated handball, the Black Stars returned the favor.

- World Cup 2022: News and features | Schedule

As the crippled neared its conclusion, the show returned to a unrecorded changeable of Suarez. He looked similar helium was holding backmost tears and by that point, the Ghanaian fans amended understood the circumstances. They cheered loudly. Suarez, holding backmost tears, pulled his jersey implicit his head, retreating similar a turtle into its ammunition successful what volition apt beryllium the past representation of him connected the World Cup stage.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Postmatch quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid reaction

1. A deserved exit for Uruguay

For a squad with arsenic overmuch endowment arsenic Uruguay has, it has lone itself to blame. No squad tin spell goalless implicit the archetypal 2 matches astatine a World Cup and expect to advance, which is the concern Uruguay was successful anterior to Friday's matches. Its 0-0 gully with South Korea successful their opening crippled was uninspired, and to travel that with a 2-0 nonaccomplishment against Portugal near things to chance.

After scoring 2 first-half goals, though, Uruguay volition apt inactive caput location believing it should person advanced. And it astir did. There were aggregate sequences successful stoppage clip wherever the crippled opened up and Uruguay had numbers connected the break. No 1 stepped up and capitalized.

2. De Arrascaeta has his moment

After sitting against South Korea and playing conscionable 28 minutes against Portugal, Giorgian de Arrascaeta stepped into the starting XI and rapidly rewarded manager Diego Alonso. One of conscionable 7 players successful the World Cup who plays nine shot successful Brazil's Serie A, the Flamengo prima midfielder was 1 of the fewer players who came to the tourney having antecedently scored a competitory extremity successful Qatar. (It came successful a 3-1 triumph against Al Hilal successful the Club World Cup semifinal successful 2019.)

On a squad that features names that resonate much globally -- similar Suarez, Liverpool's Darwin Nunez, Valencia's Edison Cavani, Real Madrid's Federico Valverde and, perhaps, adjacent Manchester United youngster Facundo Pellistri - de Arrascaeta's worth to the squad mightiness beryllium little understood. It has been significant. In a qualifying rhythm that saw Uruguay decorativeness 3rd successful CONMEBOL down Brazil and Argentina, de Arrascaeta's 5 goals successful conscionable 8 of the team's 18 matches ranked 2nd down Suarez (8). Cavani and Valverde (with 2 each) were the lone others with aggregate goals.

- Why the referee rejected Darwin Nunez's punishment outcry vs. Ghana

He's the 4th Uruguayan to people a World Cup brace (joining Suarez, who did it twice, positive Diego Forlan and Cavani).

3. A acquainted destiny for Ghana

The crippled was a accidental astatine revenge. Against Luis Suarez. Against Uruguay. And erstwhile skipper Andre Ayew stepped up to instrumentality a punishment successful the 21st minute, it felt similar an due mode for the Black Stars to nonstop it. Ghana's missed punishment successful 2010 against Uruguay inactive looms ample and cruel destiny again intervened. Ayew's poor-taken punishment had small accidental to bushed goalkeeper Sergio Rochet and Uruguay took advantage.

Just 5 minutes later, Suarez -- the antheral who remains nationalist force No. 1 successful Ghana -- smashed a changeable connected extremity that rebounded into the oncoming way of de Arrascaeta for an casual opening goal.

Ghana's woes from the punishment spot successful the World Cup are a trend. It became the archetypal federation to ever miss aggregate penalties against a azygous hostile and has present converted conscionable 3 of six World Cup punishment kicks each time. Among teams with astatine slightest 5 attempted penalties successful the tournament, lone Poland (2 goals connected 5 attempts) has a worst conversion rate.

It's intolerable to accidental however the crippled would person progressed had Ayew scored the penalty, but the anticipation is undoubtedly thing Ghanaian fans volition see for immoderate time. With an aboriginal lead, would Ghana person been capable to revert to much antiaircraft tactics? Would it person built assurance successful the squad? Such are the stakes astatine the World Cup, wherever little moments successful clip are preserved good into the future.

Player ratings

Ghana: Lawrence Ati Zigi 6; Aidu Seidu 6, Daniel Amartey 6, Mohammed Salisu 7, Baba Rahman 6; Thomas Partey 7, Salis Abdul Samed 6; Inaki Williams 6, Andre Ayew 5, Jordan Ayew 6; Mohammed Kudus 7.
Subs: Osman Bukari 6, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh 6, Kamaldeen Sulemana 6, Antoine Semenyo 6, Fatawu Issahaku 6.

Uruguay: Sergio Rochet 8; Guillermo Varela 6, Jose Maria Gimenez 7, Sebastian Coates 6, Mathias Olivera 6; Facundo Pellestri 7, Federico Valverde 6, Rodrigo Bentacur 6, Giorgian de Arrascaeta 9; Luis Suarez 8, Darwin Nunez 7.
Subs: Matias Vecino 6, Nicolas de la Cruz 6, Edinson Cavani 5, Maxi Gomez 6, Agustin Canobbio 6.

Best and worst performers

BEST: Giorgan de Arrascaeta, Uruguay

His right-place, right-time opening extremity sent Uruguay successful the close absorption earlier helium volleyed location a 2nd lone six minutes aboriginal to supply a two-goal cushion.

WORST: Andre Ayew, Ghana

The missed punishment from the Ghanaian skipper acceptable the code for the remainder of the match, during which the Black Stars seldom threatened.

Highlights and notable moments

What a prevention by Rochet to springiness Uruguay a warring chance. Alas, it would beryllium successful vain fixed wherever the crippled went from there.

GHANA'S PENALTY IS SAVED BY ROCHET 😱 pic.twitter.com/bMfhpeRmii

Both Uruguay goals were well-taken, but the symptom disposable connected Suarez's look aft full-time, knowing that South Korea's effect had enactment them retired of the World Cup, was rather thing to watch.

Suarez was affectional aft the last whistle pic.twitter.com/aNApvOhtmA

Then came the ugliness astatine full-time, arsenic Uruguay players furiously surrounded referee Daniel Siebert to amusement their displeasure astatine not receiving a mates of penalties arsenic they were chasing the game.

Uruguay players travel the crippled officials into the passageway aft the last whistle pic.twitter.com/bVCIXKM2RW

After the match: What the players and managers said

Uruguay manager Diego Alonso: "I don't deliberation we're retired due to the fact that of that constituent [against South Korea]. I deliberation we're out. We are retired due to the fact that of the punishment of Portugal. Portugal's punishment and the extremity difference. That's wherefore we are out. It's not the point. Rather to the contrary, we are not retired due to the fact that of that point. It's due to the fact that of the punishment that was awarded successful other clip that according to FIFA was not a penalty."

Ghana defender Daniel Amartey: "We saw connected the surface [that Korea had taken the lead]... I conscionable told my squad that we request a extremity now, but they request a extremity now. We person to support for ourselves. If we don't go, they don't go."

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

-- Both teams are eliminated aft South Korea's win. Uruguay is retired connected goals scored tiebreaker (both had 4 points and 0 extremity quality but Korea had 4 goals scored to Uruguay's 2)

-- Uruguay: Only needed to people 1 much extremity aft South Korea's lucifer ended to advance

-- Uruguay: Eliminated successful the FIFA World Cup Group Stage for the archetypal clip since 2002. It had precocious to knockout signifier successful the erstwhile 3 World Cup appearances.

-- Ghana: Has not precocious to knockout signifier of the FIFA World Cup since 2010 (eliminated by Uruguay successful QF)

-- Giorgian de Arrascaeta (URU): 2 Goals 26′, 32′; 3rd Uruguayan to people 2 first-half goals successful a FIFA World Cup lucifer aft Juan Peregrino Anselmo vs Yugoslavia (1930) and Óscar Míguez vs Bolivia (1950)

-- Andre Ayew (GHA): Missed a punishment successful the archetypal half. Ghana is the archetypal squad to not person aggregate penalties vs a azygous hostile astatine the FIFA World Cup (Ghana besides missed successful 2010 QF)

Up next

Ghana: They're heading home, having finished bottommost of Group H.

Uruguay: After a fiery, contentious extremity to their Friday game, they're besides heading home, having finished 3rd successful Group H connected extremity quality down South Korea.