Football World Cup 2022: Uruguay beats Ghana, both are eliminated

Status: 02.12.2022 18:03

Uruguay missed out on reaching the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar. The South Americans beat Ghana 2-0 (2-0), but only finished third in the group. The “Black Stars” were also eliminated.

Brazil legionnaire Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored twice for the two-time world champion on Friday (02.12.22). The brace (26th, 32nd) by the midfield player from Flamengo Rio de Janeiro was not enough for the “Celeste” to progress, because South Korea beat Portugal 2-1 in the last minute in the parallel game. The Asians, tied on points, advanced to the round of 16 on the back of more goals scored.

“It’s completely unfair what happened there. That can’t be right,” said de Arrascaeta, referring to the surprising defeat of the Portuguese, who had already qualified for the round of 16. “We did everything we could to get through here, but unfortunately it didn’t work out. We’re incredibly sad,” concluded the double goalscorer.

Referee Siebert initially in focus

From the outset, spectators in Al-Wakrah witnessed Ghanaian drama and the resurrection of a Uruguay side who had disappointed in their first two group games and failed to score. However, the focus was initially on the last remaining German in the Qatar tournament: Daniel Siebert.

In the 18th minute, the referee from Berlin awarded the “Black Stars” a penalty kick and thus sanctioned goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, who had brought Mohammed Kudus down. The South Americans were incensed that Siebert had previously seen André Ayew passively offside a shot by Ghana and whistled a free kick for Uruguay. But unlike the game master, who had been asked by the video assistant referee to watch the scene on the screen, she did not have the chance to examine the replay of the sequence. Because then they too would have come to realize that the penalty kick was justified.

Ghana’s Ayew fails to save Rochet from the penalty spot

Ayew finally put the ball on the spot, started very slowly and failed at Rochet, who had guessed the right corner (21′). History repeated itself with it. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa in the quarter-finals against Uruguay, Ghana hit the crossbar in the last minute of extra time and then lost the penalty shoot-out.

By the way, the cause of that penalty shortly before the end of the game was Luis Suárez, who saved a header with his hand on the line in the best goalkeeper style.

Uruguay celebrate the return of the ‘devil’

Since then, the 35-year-old has been called “the devil” on the African continent. And now in Qatar there was the return of Mephisto. The striker was instrumental in both goals that gave the South Americans a 2-0 half-time lead. First, de Arrascaeta brushed off a shot from Suárez, which keeper Lawrence Ati Zigi was unable to deflect decisively, to take the lead (26′).

Six minutes later, the Uruguayan captain delivered a precise pass to the blond Flamengo Rio de Janeiro. Zigi was powerless against the powerful conclusion of the 28-year-old.

De Arrascaeta brace in six minutes

De Arrascaeta’s brace shocked the “Black Stars” noticeably. Coach Otto Addo’s team had no answer ready until the break. The Africans seemed a little traumatized by the events, which inevitably had to trigger memories of 2010 and that bewitched World Cup quarter-final with the “devil”.

After 45 minutes Ghana had slipped to third behind Portugal and Uruguay. At least two goals were needed for the Addo team in the second half to safely advance to the quarter-finals.

Not an impossible task for a team as talented as the “Black Stars”. But a complicated task when the opponent is called Uruguay and has always been known and feared for its defensive work.

South Korea’s goal shocks the “Celeste”

After the change of sides, Ghana managed to tear apart the compact defensive structure of the “Celeste” several times. In the front line, however, the Addo-Elf lacked determination and a “wall striker” who can sometimes fix a ball played to the top. Uruguay was initially closer to 3-0 than the “Black Stars” were to get the first goal. Only in the closing stages did the Africans have good chances through Antoine Semenyo (79′) and Kudus (81′).

But because these shots didn’t find their way into the goal either, the “Celeste” had the round of 16 in their sights until a few minutes before the final whistle. Then South Korea’s 2-1 lead against Portugal made the rounds. Now Uruguay had to score a goal or hope that the Portuguese would equalize. Because the South Koreans, tied on points, had scored more goals.

Shortly thereafter, the victory of the Asians was certain. The “Celeste”, on the other hand, had eight minutes of stoppage time to score the third goal, which would have been equivalent to reaching the round of 16. But Uruguay didn’t score and for the first time since 2002 had to return home after a World Cup preliminary round.

Siebert pressed after the end of the game

The South Americans’ anger was directed at referee Siebert immediately after the final whistle. They felt the referee had denied them a penalty in added time after substitute Edinson Cavani was brought down (90+3). It was surprising that no security personnel intervened while Uruguay’s players were harassing Siebert.

Source: sportschau.de

source site