Ghana missed a penalty in extra time and then failed in the shoot-out as Uruguay advanced to the semi-finals of the World Cup, 4-2 in sudden death. URU: 1 GHA: 1 Uruguay win 4-2 on penalties
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg Crowd: 84,017 Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal) Assistants: Jose Cardinal and Bertino Miranda (Portugal) Fourth official: Alberto Undiano (Spain) Yellow cards:URU - Fucile, Perez, Rios GHA - Pantsil, Sarpei, Mensah
Red cards: Suarez (Uruguay) MATCH REPORT Ghana failed to become the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals after missing a last minute penalty in extra time, then failing from 12 yards in the shoot-out with Uruguay.
At the end of 90 minutes the score was 1-1 and extra time looked to be ending in the Black Stars favour in the most dramatic of fashions as they were awarded a penalty in the final minute.
Anthony Annan took a free-kick into the penalty area and in the ensuing scramble Dominic Adiyah's header on goal was punched away by striker Luis Suarez who received an instant red card.
With whole of Africa willing Asamoah Gyan to score the Rennes striker smashed his spot kick against the crossbar paving the way for a penalty shoot-out.
Earlier Sulley Muntari gave the Black Stars a first half lead with a shot from 40 yards which deceived the South American keeper Nestor Fernando Muslera, but similar suspect keeping allowed Uruguay to level just after the break from Diego Forlan's free kick.
Both teams had chances to win the game in normal time but with players visibly tired the prospect of extra time was almost inevitable.
Then came the heart-stopping climax which ended with Ghana the players looking absolutely devastated, and a crying Gyan having to be consoled by his team-mates.
For Uruguay it means a first World Cup semi-final since 1970 and a meeting with Holland on Tuesday for the right to contest the 2010 final. Starting Line-Ups
URU
1. Nestor Fernando Muslera 16. Victorio Maxi Pereira 2. Diego Lugano (Scotti, 38) 6. Mauricio Victorino 4. Jorge Fucile 20. Alvaro Fernandez (Lodeiro, 46) 15. Diego Perez 17. Egidio Arevalo Rios 7. Edinson Cavani (Abreu, 76) 9. 10. Diego Forlan SUBS
12. Juan Castillo (GK) 3. Diego Godin 5. Walter Gargano 8. Sebastian Eguren 11. Alvaro Pereira 13. Sebastian Abreu 14. Nicolas Lodeiro 18. Nacho Gonzalez 19. Andres Scotti 21. Sebastian Fernandez 22. Martin Caceres 23. Martin Silva (GK) GHA
22. Richard Kingson 4. John Pantsil 15. Issac Vorsah 5. John Mensah 2. Hans Sarpei 6. Anthony Annan 7. Samuel Inkoom (Appiah, 73) 21. Kwadwo Asamoah 23. Kevin-Prince Boateng 11. Sulley Muntari (Adiya, 88) 3. Asamoah Gyan
SUBS
1. Daniel Adjei (GK) 9. Derek Boateng 10. Stephen Appiah 12. Prince Tagoe 14. Matthew Amoah 17. Rahim Ayew 18. Dominic Adiyah 19. Lee Addy 20. Quincy Owusu-Abeyie 16. Stephen Ahorlu (GK)
