6:30 pm at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg was when the memorable game in Ghana’s football history (and potentially World Cup history) kicked off.
With a raucous crowd cheering “Ba Ghana, Ba Ghana”, and the vuvuzelas declaring the continent’s support for the Blackstars, the team had all it needed to make history and have their names written in bold in the books of old.
It was the biggest night in the careers of the young footballers as Ghana and Uruguay went head to head for a place in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup — in a game which was witnessed by eighty thousand plus spectators
and millions, who were glued to their television sets.
A keenly contested 90 minutes saw two moments of magic as Sulley Muntari scored the first goal, blasting in a drive from about 35 yards that spun past Uruguayan shot-stopper Fernando Muslera just before Portuguese referee Olegario Benquerenca was about to blow the halftime whistle.
Ghana’s dreams of being the first-ever African team to advance to a World Cup semifinal were crushed 10 minutes into the second half; Diego Forlan brilliantly curled in a free kick that bewildered Richard Kingson in Ghana’s goal, veering dangerously into the air before hitting the back of the net.
With the game locked at 1-1 and needed an extra 30 minutes, the drama was served in the final seconds of the of extra time. The timer had clocked the 120th minute, Ghana had a final attacking free-kick to utilize (John Paintsil, the taker), and hungry Ghanaian players had already swamped the penalty box of the Uruguayans, looking forward to making the most of it.
Flicks from Kevin Prince Boateng and John Mensah resulted in a Stephen Appiah shot, which was legitimately blocked by Luiz Suarez, before extending his hand to block Dominic Adiyiah’s goal-bound follow up attempt from going into the net.
The then Ajax forward was sent off in tears, but he celebrated at the mouth of the tunnel as Asamoah Gyan – who was in red hot form at the finals and could do no wrong – hit the top of the crossbar, with his spot-kick the final action, taking the game into the dreaded shootouts.
Diego Forlan neatly converted the first kick, Asamoah Gyan boldy followed suit, Mauricio Victorino and Stephen Appian buried the second spot kicks beautifully, before John Mensah had his penalty saved after Andres Scotti had scored the 3rd for the South Americans.
Tensions within the stadium ratcheted up heading into the 4th kicks, as Uruguay’s Maximiliano Perrier’s failiure to score was swiftly followed by Dominic Adiyah’s parity puller being kept out.
The decisive penalty was to be effected by Uruguay’s Sebastian Abreu’s, who opted for a cheeky Panenka-style chip, sealing Uruguay’s victory and shattering hearts throughout Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium – that would not repair.
Ghana missed out on the knockout phase of the 2022 World Cup after Uruguay, once again, crushed her happiness with two unanswered goals from Giorgian de Arrascaeta. But, the memory of 14 years still lives on ~Friday, July 2, 2010.
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Story by: Augustine Quansah| univers.ug.edu.gh
