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Tag: Uruguay

  • Uruguay honors Luis Suarez with a tribute featuring his notorious handball incident against Ghana

    Uruguay honors Luis Suarez with a tribute featuring his notorious handball incident against Ghana

    The Uruguayan Football Federation paid tribute to Luis Suarez as he announced his retirement from international football by referencing one of the most infamous moments of his career – his handball against Ghana during the 2010 World Cup.

    In a post shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), Uruguay posted a video of the controversial incident that played a key role in their victory over Ghana in the quarterfinals, along with a caption honouring Suarez’s legacy.

    The tribute highlighted the defining moment that left a lasting impression on football history and Suarez’s career: “Nothing will be the same without him.”

    Luis Suarez left a nostalgic comment on a social media post with an emoji, reflecting on a memorable moment from his career.

    The Uruguayan forward recently announced his retirement from international football, ahead of Uruguay’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

    This match will mark Suarez’s final appearance for his national team.

    As Uruguay’s all-time top scorer, Suarez boasts an impressive record of 69 goals in 142 appearances since making his debut in February 2007 against Colombia.

    His career also holds a significant place in football history, especially for Ghanaians and Africans, due to the infamous match at the 2010 World Cup.

    The quarter-final between Uruguay and Ghana, played 14 years ago, ended in heartbreak for Ghana, who were on the brink of a historic semi-final appearance. However, they were ultimately eliminated in a penalty shootout.

  • Their mockery and celebrations are just crazy – Suarez fumes at Columbia fans after clash

    Their mockery and celebrations are just crazy – Suarez fumes at Columbia fans after clash

    Luis Suarez criticized the Colombian players following a heated Copa America semi-final clash against Uruguay. Colombia clinched a narrow win with Jefferson Lerma’s 39th-minute goal.

    However, tensions erupted at the final whistle, leading to chaos on the field involving players, referees, camera crews, and officials. Suarez was seen confronting and pushing Colombian players and staff members amid the commotion.

    Darwin Nunez, meanwhile, climbed into the stands to face Colombian fans post-game. Shirtless and visibly furious, Nunez exchanged punches and defended himself as drinks were thrown at him. After the match, Suarez spoke to the media, voicing his frustration over the chaotic aftermath.

    “What bothers me the most is the way they mock,” Suarez stated. “There are always clashes, laughs, words, whatever. But what bothers me the most is the way they mock and celebrate, it makes no sense. We eliminated Brazil and none of us walked past any Brazilian player. On the contrary, we went to greet them.

    We’re colleagues on the field; we know the suffering of a defeat. Walking past a fellow professional like that looks bad, but the one above sees everything and everything comes back. As a group, we need to rise, stay strong, and stay united. We will often face situations like this”.

    CONMEBOL has released a statement condemning the post-game violence, though the actions to be taken are yet unclear.

    In the wake of Colombia’s triumph, anticipation builds for an electrifying Copa America final against Argentina, led by Lionel Messi. The upcoming match is poised to be a gripping showdown, with both sides determined to claim the prestigious trophy.

  • Darwin Núñez fights Colombian fans after Uruguay loss

    Darwin Núñez fights Colombian fans after Uruguay loss

    Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez was at the center of a heated altercation with spectators after Uruguay’s defeat to Colombia in the Copa America semi-final on Wednesday evening.

    The incident occurred at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, as Núñez was seen physically confronting Colombia fans in the stands shortly after the final whistle.

    Reports from Uruguayan outlet El País indicate that the disorder erupted near the section where friends and family members of the Uruguay team were seated. Núñez, who has yet to comment publicly on the incident, was captured by TV cameras and fans climbing railings and entering the crowded stands to confront Colombia supporters. Attempts were made by others to restrain him during the confrontation.

    Uruguay captain José María Giménez stated that the players felt compelled to defend their families, describing the chaotic scene in the crowd as a “disaster.” Giménez remarked, “There was no police, and we had to defend our families. This is the fault of two or three people who had a few too many drinks and don’t know how to drink.”

    Other Uruguay players were reportedly involved in the incident as well. Núñez was later seen embracing his son on the pitch following the altercation.

    South American football’s governing body, CONMEBOL, has “strongly condemned” the incident and announced an investigation. “There is no place for intolerance and violence on and off the field,” the organization stated.

    The brawl followed Uruguay’s 1-0 defeat to Colombia, which ended their hopes of reaching the Copa America final. Just before the crowd disorder, players and coaching staff from both teams clashed on the pitch as the match concluded. Núñez, who started the game for Uruguay, was unable to capitalize on any of his four goal attempts.

    https://twitter.com/centregoals/status/1811223673547768292

    Liverpool acquired Núñez from Portuguese side Benfica in June 2022 for an initial fee of £64 million. Since joining the Premier League club, he has scored 20 goals in 65 appearances. BBC News has reached out to Núñez’s representative for a statement.

    Colombia will face Argentina in the Copa America final on Monday.

  • Uruguay secures Copa America semi-finals spot with victory over Brazil

    Uruguay secures Copa America semi-finals spot with victory over Brazil

    Uruguay advanced to the Copa America semi-finals after a tense encounter with Brazil in Las Vegas, decided by a 4-3 penalty shootout victory following a goalless draw at Allegiant Stadium.

    Manuel Ugarte secured the winning penalty after Eder Militao missed and Douglas Luiz hit the post.

    Uruguay, managed by Marcelo Bielsa, played much of the match with ten men after Nahitan Nandez was sent off. They now face Colombia, who earlier thrashed Panama 5-0 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    “It was a tense match against a tough opponent, especially playing with ten men in the closing stages. We showed character despite our challenges,” said Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet. “The team is thrilled and motivated to continue our journey in the tournament.”

    In a game marked by 41 fouls, both teams struggled to find rhythm.

    Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez missed Uruguay’s best chance with a header, while Brazil’s Raphinha was denied by Rochet on a quick counter-attack.

    Nandez’s yellow card for a heavy tackle on Rodrygo was upgraded to red following a VAR review in the 74th minute, forcing Uruguay to defend deeply for the remainder of normal time, which ended without extra time before heading to penalties.

    In another quarter-final, Colombia dominated against Panama at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. James Rodriguez scored one goal and assisted two others, setting up Jhon Cordoba’s header from a corner for an early lead.

    James himself converted a penalty, with Luis Diaz adding a lobbed goal from James’ quick free-kick just before halftime. Richard Rios and Miguel Borja scored late in the match to secure Colombia’s convincing 5-0 victory.

    The semi-finals will feature Argentina, the defending champions, against Canada at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, followed by Uruguay facing Colombia in Charlotte.

  • Uruguay secure dominant 5-0 victory over Bolivia in Copa America

    Uruguay secure dominant 5-0 victory over Bolivia in Copa America

    Uruguay delivered a commanding performance in the Copa America, securing a resounding 5-0 victory against Bolivia, with Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez showcasing his prowess on the field.

    The match, held in the United States, marked Uruguay’s second consecutive win in the tournament, positioning them strongly in their group standings.

    The early stages of the game saw Manchester United’s Facundo Pellistri opening the scoring with a precise header in the eighth minute. Shortly after, Darwin Nunez extended Uruguay’s lead with his tenth goal in seven appearances for his country, demonstrating his consistent form and scoring prowess.

    As the game progressed, winger Maximiliano Araujo added to Bolivia’s woes by scoring his second goal of the tournament, putting Uruguay firmly in control. Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde contributed to the goal fest with a clinical finish, followed by Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur sealing the victory with a powerful header.

    Manager Marcelo Bielsa expressed cautious optimism about Uruguay’s performance, emphasizing that while the team has shown individual talent, there are still significant steps to take to reach their full potential. Bielsa highlighted the importance of maintaining focus and not drawing premature conclusions about the team’s capabilities.

    Uruguay, currently ranked 14th in FIFA’s world rankings, has its sights set on securing a record 16th Copa America title. The team’s next challenge will be against the United States in their final Group C match, where a draw would ensure Uruguay’s top spot in the group standings.

    The convincing victory against Bolivia underscores Uruguay’s formidable presence in the Copa America, with their attacking prowess and defensive solidity setting a strong foundation as they advance towards the knockout stages of the tournament.

  • This is what Stephen Appiah told Asamoah Gyan after penalty miss against Uruguay

    This is what Stephen Appiah told Asamoah Gyan after penalty miss against Uruguay

    Former Black Stars player Asamoah Gyan has shed light on the interaction between himself and Stephen Appiah following the crucial penalty miss against Uruguay in the quarter-final stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

    Gyan’s missed penalty, after Luis Suarez’s handball offence, denied Ghana a historic semi-final spot.

    Contrary to the common belief that captain Stephen Appiah was dissatisfied with Gyan, the former striker clarified that Appiah was offering encouragement rather than criticism.

    In an interview with Onua TV on Monday, April 15, 2024, Gyan explained that Appiah was well aware that he was designated as Ghana’s first penalty taker during the 2010 World Cup.

    “When we got the penalty, the coach had already made the decision that I was the first penalty taker. I had already scored against Serbia and Australia. So it was obvious,” Gyan said.

    He added, “Even if Stephen Appiah had taken the ball, he would have given it to me to take the penalty. He approached me after the final whistle and motivated me to take the first penalty during the shootout against Uruguay.”

    Gyan participated in three World Cup tournaments, establishing himself as Africa’s top goalscorer with a total of six goals.

  • ‘Learn a little respect!’ – Messi tells Manuel Ugarte’s after bottle feeder fracas during Argentina- Uruguay clash

    ‘Learn a little respect!’ – Messi tells Manuel Ugarte’s after bottle feeder fracas during Argentina- Uruguay clash

    Lionel Messi responded to an offensive gesture from Manuel Ugarte directed at Rodrigo De Paul by urging certain Uruguayan players to “show respect.”

    A tense 2026 World Cup qualification match unfolded between the South American rivals at Boca Juniors’ La Bombonera on Thursday evening.

    In this fiercely contested game, Argentina experienced a dramatic 2-0 defeat, marking their first loss since claiming the global title in Qatar in 2022.

    The match was marred by several heated incidents, including goals from Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez for the visiting team.

    One notable altercation occurred in the first half when Ugarte clashed with De Paul.

    The Uruguayan midfielder accused De Paul, a World Cup winner, of being Messi’s “bottle feeder,” and an offensive gesture further fueled tensions, resulting in players from both teams becoming entangled in an unsightly brawl.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FZxzwBSKz0


    Messi told reporters afterwards, when asked about the incident, “It’s normal. These kinds of games, qualifiers, against Uruguay, it’s always like that. I prefer not to say what I think. Young people have to learn to respect their elders. This classic was always intense and hard, but always with a lot of respect. They have to learn a little.”

    Messi went on to say of the game itself, which saw Argentina fall behind late in the first half before conceding a second in the 87th minute: “We never felt comfortable. They’re a physical team that works well and on the counterattack, they were very dangerous. Today it was our turn to lose. It’s a test. We have to get back up and play a great game in Brazil.”


    Argentina is set to face arch-rivals Brazil on Tuesday, maintaining their position at the summit of the CONMEBOL qualification table. They hold a two-point lead over Uruguay, while Brazil, experiencing inconsistency, currently occupies the fifth position.

  • Ex Leeds boss Bielsa is the new head coach for Uruguay

    Ex Leeds boss Bielsa is the new head coach for Uruguay

    Former Leeds boss, Marcelo Bielsa, aged 67, has been named the new head coach of Uruguay’s national team.

    Bielsa had been without a managerial role for almost 15 months since departing from Leeds United.

    The Uruguayan Football Association has officially announced his appointment on a contract that extends until the 2026 World Cup.

    Former Leeds boss, Marcelo Bielsa

    Bielsa takes over from Diego Alonso as the national team boss.

    Alonso’s contract expired after the World Cup in Qatar earlier this season, where Uruguay suffered a shock group-stage exit.

    Bielsa served as manager of Argentina from 1998 to 2004 and he also had a four-year stint in charge of Chile.

    Bielsa guided Leeds back to the Premier League from the Championship in 2020 and was one of the most popular managers in the club’s history.

    But he left in February last year following a run of four successive league defeats.

    His lengthy managerial career has also included spells with Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille.

    Uruguay are currently 16th in FIFA’s world rankings, with Bielsa’s first major campaign at the helm set to be next year’s Copa America in the United States.

    Marcelo Bielsa is an Argentine football manager who is widely regarded as one of the most influential and respected figures in the sport. He is renowned for his tactical innovation, attention to detail, and commitment to an intense, high-pressing style of play.

    Bielsa took charge of Leeds United in June 2018 and had a transformative impact on the club during his tenure.

    He instilled a strong work ethic and a distinct playing philosophy that earned him the admiration of both players and fans.

    Under Bielsa’s guidance, Leeds United achieved significant success. In the 2019-2020 season, the team secured the Championship title, earning promotion to the Premier League after a 16-year absence from the top flight of English football.

    Bielsa’s meticulous approach and tactical astuteness were instrumental in Leeds’ promotion campaign.

    Bielsa’s coaching methods are known for their attention to detail, video analysis, and emphasis on physical fitness.

    He is known to spend hours studying opponents’ tactics and meticulously preparing his team for each match. Bielsa’s relentless pursuit of perfection and his demand for hard work from his players have earned him a reputation as an uncompromising coach.

    Beyond his success on the field, Bielsa is respected for his sportsmanship and dedication to fair play.

    Notably, during a match against Aston Villa in April 2019, when Leeds scored a controversial goal while an opposition player was down injured, Bielsa instructed his team to allow Aston Villa to score unopposed in the ensuing restart—a gesture that showcased his integrity and respect for the spirit of the game.

  • Uruguay will receive a six-month suspension for fighting with FIFA officials

    Uruguay are likely to be banned for six months by FIFA after clashing with FIFA officials in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    The South Americans defeated Ghana 2-0 in their last group game but it was not enough as both teams exited the group stage of the competition.

    After the game, players from the Uruguay camp hounded the official, making their feelings known about what they thought of the decision following a decision to ignore a penalty appeal by referee Daniel Siebert, after a challenge on Cavani in the penalty box.

    Jose Gimenez and Edinson Cavani were the most vocal with their heavy complaints to the officials.

    An angry Cavani destroyed a Video Assistant Referee screen after the match at Al Janoub.

    Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and defender Deigo Godin were also heavily involved.

    Article 12 relates to the “Improper conduct of players and officials”. This means that they would potentially be banned from playing for Uruguay.

  • World Cup: Suarez praises Messi after Argentina’s triumph

    Luis Suarez has hailed his former Barcelona team-mate, Lionel Messi, after he helped Argentina qualify for the 2022 World Cup final.

    Messi scored the game’s first goal from the penalty spot in the 34th minute and assisted Julian Alvarez in scoring a second goal to complete Tuesday’s spectacular 3-0 triumph over Croatia.

    After finishing as Argentina’s runner-up in 2014 when Germany defeated La Albiceleste 1-0 in Rio de Janeiro, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner now has a chance to win Argentina’s first World Cup since Diego Maradona led them to victory in 1986.

    “You never get tired of showing that you are the best in the world,” Suarez, who spent six years with Messi at Barcelona from 2014 to 2020, wrote on Instagram.

    “The whole world stops to applaud this guy and what he’s given to football. Incredible my friend!”

    Messi’s longtime La Liga rival with Real Madrid, defeated Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, claimed the Argentinean deservingly won the World Cup.

    “Hopefully [Messi] wins this World Cup, he is the best player in history and he deserves it,” Modric told reporters after the game.

    Argentina will play the final on Sunday against either reigning world champions France or Morocco, who will meet at Al Bayt Stadium in the second semi-final on Wednesday.


     

     

  • World Cup 2022: Argentine journalist Alejandro Fantino blames VAR for Uruguay exit

    Argentine journalist Alejandro Fantino claims Uruguay were undone by the video assistant referees (VAR) for exiting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar despite beating Ghana 2-0 in their final group game.

    Ghana skipper Andre Ayew missed a penalty in the 21st minute as his kick was saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet following a foul on Mohammed Kudus.

    Uruguay went on to win the game 2-0 thanks to goals from Giorgio de Arrascaeta in the 26th and 32nd minutes of the game but it was not enough as teams went out of the tournament.

    “I was frozen with what happened to Uruguay (in the 2-0 victory against Ghana where Alonso’s men lacked a goal to qualify)”, Fantino said.

     

    “They charged him with a penalty that was not (Rochet on Kudus) and that they reviewed it three and four times. In addition, they did not ask for another favour. They definitely took him out of the World Cup.”

    “Edinson Cavani’s last play (when he fell in the area paired with a Ghanaian in addition time) at least you have to review it, it’s crazy not to review it by the referee,” said former goalkeeper Oscar Passet.

    “The VAR is a permanent coin in the air,” Fantino continued. “Tt scares me, it can take you out at any moment or moment, it no longer depends on you, they put together a cause and they take you out.”

    “It arrived as a weapon, an instrument of hit men. FIFA uses it openly, it does not depend on whether you score a goal or not. What happened to Uruguay is definitely a sample. It no longer depends on a player.”

  • I’m proud of Ghana – Ama K. Abebrese celebrates Black Stars despite loss

    Both Ghana and Uruguay have crashed out of the 2022 World Cup.

    Andre Ayew missed a penalty in the 21st minute before Giorgian de Arrascaeta hit a first-half double to put Uruguay 2-1 up.

    It looked like it would be enough for Uruguay to qualify for the last 16 until Hwang Hee-chan netted a 91st-minute winner to send South Korea through, leaving Luis Suarez to end the tournament in tears.

    Despite existing from the 2020 FIFA World Cup, Ghanaians are compensated with the failure of the Uruguay side also failing to move forward in the competition.

    Despite the victory, Uruguay will now be eliminated alongside Ghana, as South Korea won its game against Portugal 2-1. Ghana failed to become the third African representative in the knockouts, alongside Senegal and Morocco.

    This game has had a lot of Ghanaians in their feelings as it was Ghana was tipped to win this game to take revenge for the Luis Suarez deliberate handball that knocked Ghana out of the 2010 World Cup and stopped Ghana from making history 12 years ago.

    Among those people is Ghanaian actress Ama K. Abebrese, who despite all the disappointment of not defecting Uruguay and moving forward into the competition, the actress is still proud of the Black Stars for their performance during the ongoing welcome.

    She wrote; “The Ghana Blackstars did well. Regardless of everything, I’m proud of Ghana”.

    We all can attest that the Black Stars have indeed put their best into this year’s World Cup though the today’s outcome was not expected, Ghanaians are proud of the boys.

    This iconic game has sparked a lot of hidden memories in Ghanaians and has had everyone in their feelings.

    However, whatever went wrong, the Black Stars of Ghana will return home to a rousing welcome.

  • World Cup: Dede Ayew’s daughter reportedly collapsed after he missed penalty

    Reports have it that the daughter of Andre Dede Ayew, the captain of the Black Stars of Ghana, fell unconscious after her father missed a penalty against Uruguay on Friday.

    Dede Ayew missed the opportunity to put Ghana in the lead in the first half of the game.

    Apparently, the missed penalty had a more adverse effect on his daughter than many Ghanaians who hoped Ghana would beat Uruguay.

    According to GTV Sports, Dede Ayew quickly dashed off to the hospital where his daughter had been admitted to after the match ended.

    It is said that she is doing fine and not in any danger.

    Andre Ayew says the penalty miss against Uruguay in the final Group H game is difficult to accept.

    “We had the opportunity to get to the next stage, I missed the penalty. It’s difficult to take’’ Andre Ayew told the media in a post-match interview.

    Despite the defeat, Dede Ayew is hopeful of a better Black Stars ahead of future tournaments.

    ‘’We did not get it right but I am very optimistic for the future.”

    “I am sad but we will try and make it better’’ he added.

    Uruguay beat Ghana by two goals to nil, sending the Black Stars packing home.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • ‘We need a proper coach with technical know-how’ – Sam George reacts to Black Stars Word Cup exit

    Sam Nartey George, the representative for Ningo-Prampram, has expressed regret over Ghana’s senior men’s national team, the Black Stars, leaving the 2022 Qatar World Cup early.

    The MP claimed in a tweet that the Black Stars’ loss to Uruguay in their final World Cup group match in Qatar in 2022 proves they require a qualified coach.

    He continued by saying that GFA authorities have to stop meddling in the team’s player selecting process.

    “Four lessons learned from this defeat; We need an experienced coach.
    Parts of the MP’s tweet read, “The GFA Executives need to quit meddling in team selection.

    The MP, however, indicated that Ghanaians can find some solace in the fact that Uruguay has also exited the tournament.

    “Even if we lost, we are going home with Uruguay,” Sam George said.

    The Black Stars were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup after losing by 2-0 to Uruguay in their final match of the group stages.

    Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s two goals for Uruguay were not enough to get them through to the next round of the tournament as South Korea beat Portugal 2-1.

    The Black Stars had a slow start in the game as Uruguay was on fire from the blast of the whistle.

    However, Ghana’s first chance in the game which fell to Jordan Ayew nearly saw him score but Sergio Rochet pulled a good save which saw Kudus go in for a rebound.

  • We look forward to what lies ahead – Kudus after World Cup exit

    Mohammed Kudus says the team has learnt valuable lessons from their participation in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals.

    The Ajax Amsterdam man who caught the eye of hundreds of thousands football fans across the globe scored two goals in the tournament and was also adjudged the Budweiser Player of the match against South Korea on Monday.

    ‘’It’s very disappointing but we stick together as a team and look forward to what lies ahead. This has given us a lot of lessons in this tournament but the feeling now is a big disappointment but we look forward to what lies ahead’’ he spoke the media after the game.

    ‘’Right now, it’s more about the team, we lost regardless of my performance so the disappointment is still there but we will reflect about my performance later after everything has settled down emotionally’’.

    ‘’For almost ninety percent of the guys, it’s our first World Cup and I think it’s a big lesson for myself and a lot of the guys and I know this will really make us tough and help our progress”

    ‘’I don’t think the penalty miss by Andre Ayew was the key moment in the match, the easiest thing we can do is to blame one person’’.

    ‘’In the second half I also got chances that I could have scored, it qualified as a penalty also so we all had chances to have an effect in the game so I don’t really think the penalty had an effect on the whole performance’’.

    ‘’Andre is a great leader and a great captain. After the penalty miss, he was still in the game and stood up for the team like everyone did but the result went the other way so we learn from it and stay positive’’.

    ‘’I think what happened in the past we can’t really change it, the focus was to get out of the group, that was the main thing’’ he added.

    Source: GFA COMMUNICATIONS

  • World Cup: Penalty miss difficult to accept – Dede Ayew

    Black Stars captain Andre Ayew says the penalty miss against Uruguay in the final Group H game is difficult to accept.

    “We had the opportunity to get to the next stage, I missed the penalty. It’s difficult to take’’ Andre Ayew told the media in a post-match interview.

    The Al Sadd forward missed a penalty in the 21st minute as his kick was saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet following a foul on Mohammed Kudus.

    The two-time World Champions went on to win the game 2-0 thanks to goals from Giorgio de Arrascaeta in the 26th and 32nd minutes of the game.

    Despite the defeat, Dede Ayew is hopeful of a better Black Stars ahead of future tournaments.

    ‘’We did not get it right but I am very optimistic for the future.”

    “I am sad but we will try and make it better’’ he added.

  • World Cup: The captain shouldn’t have played the penalty – Stonebwoy

    Reggae dancehall artiste, Stonebwoy, says Captain Andre Dede Ayew should not have been made to take the penalty Ghana secured against Uruguay.

    According to him, an oracle revealed that the Black Stars captain was not to play a penalty to ensure what happened 12 years ago did not repeat itself.

    In 2010, Ghana and Uruguay faced each other in the World Cup tournament held in South Africa. Ghana lost because Asamoah Gyan, who was not yet the captain of the team, missed a penalty.

    In a tweet, Stonebwoy revealed that “12 years ago, the captain should have played the penalty. Today, the captain shouldn’t have played the penalty.”

    In 2010, Stephen Appiah was the captain of the senior national team.

    Dede Ayew’s missed penalty has pained the musician and many Ghanaians who expected a lot from the Black Stars.

    “This one hurt,” Stonebwoy wrote.

  • World Cup: We are sorry for not progressing to the knockout phase – GFA to Ghanaians

    The Ghana Football Association has apologised to Ghanaians for the Black Stars’ inability to progress to the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar.

    “We regret our inability to progress to the knockout phase of the competition and offer our profound apologies to the government, the people of Ghana and all stakeholders across the globe,” part of its statement read.

    The Authority, shortly after Ghana was dazed by Uruguay by two goals to nil on Friday, released a statement reacting to the disappointing performance exhibited by the Stars.

    According to the GFA, “valuable lessons have been learnt from our qualification and participation in the tournament and aim to continue with the positives going into the future.”

    They expressed gratitude to the government, the Ghanaian people, the football family, corporate Ghana, esteemed sponsors and supporters for their “unflinching, unwavering and unalloyed support during the Black Stars FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 campaign.”

    Meanwhile, the GFA has announced that it would in due course inform all stakeholders about any further developments concerning the Black Stars.

    This has become imperative as the Black Stars are without a coach following the resignation of Otto Addo, who will now be focusing on Borussia Dortmund.

  • ‘No World Cup victory’ – Akufo-Addo’s 2014 tweet resurfaces after Black Stars exit

    In the era of tweets being coughed up under the mantra of ‘The internet doesn’t forget,’ politicians are often the subject of social media posts that literally slap them in the face.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is facing one such social media post in the wake of the Black Stars exit from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    The Otto Addo-led team fell 2 – 0 to Uruguay in a must-win fixture on December 2, 2022; which result meant the two teams exited the tournament with Portugal and South Korea advancing.

    A 2014 tweet by the president has resurfaced as people mock its content relative to recent happenings in the country.

    It reads: “No water, no electricity, no petrol, no jobs, no mercy, no World Cup cictory! #Ghana”

    The president had urged the team to take revenge on the Uruguayans after a 2010 incident where Luis Suarez, their captain in yesterday’s game thwarted Ghana’s prospect of making history by becoming the first African side to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup.

    Akufo-Addo has yet to comment on the outcome of the match.

    In 2014 when his tweet was made, the then Asamoah Gyan-led Black Stars made a disastrous outing in Brazil when they failed to win a single match yet ‘cooked’ a global spectacle that saw dollars being flown to pay their appearance fees for fears of a boycott.

    Ghana ended bottom of Group H with Portugal topping whiles South Korea finsihed second ahead of Uruguay on goal difference – both teams finished with four points apiece.

    The Black Stars recorded three points from three games – losing to Portugal and Uruguay and beating South Korea. They scored five goals and conceded seven.

    Coach Otto Addo has resigned his position in the post-match press conference.

    Match Report: Uruguay vs. Ghana

    The Black Stars of Ghana had one task going into their final Group H fixture at the 2022 World Cup.

    Win at all costs, worse case draw against Uruguay and secure passage into the Round-of-16 stage of the competition.

    The match was, however, settled with three major incidents in the first half. A penalty miss by Black Stars skipper Andre Dede Ayew, when the score was goalless.

    Then Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s two goals for Uruguay which came in quick sucession, consigned the Black Stars to a second World Cup defeat against the South Americans who broke hearts of Africans in 2010.

    Their 2 – 0 victory over the Black Stars was, however, not enough to get them through to the next round of the tournament as South Korea beat Portugal 2-1.

    With Uruguay in dire need of a third goal to progress to the next round of the World Cup, Suarez was reduced to tears as efforts to score another goal proved futile.

    Portugal and South Korea advanced from Group H as Uruguay and Ghana exited the tournament after finished 3rd and 4th respectively.

  • Now our govt officials can come back to their real jobs – Sam George reacts to Ghana’s World Cup exit

    Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has called on government officials who traveled to Qatar to make their way back to Ghana following the country’s exit from the World Cup tournament on Friday.

    Uruguay kicked Ghana out of the ongoing tournament by two goals to nil.

    Reacting to the news, Mr Nartey George provided four takeaways from the defeat which included “Now can our government officials come back home to their real jobs.”

    Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, is among the government officials who flew to Qatar to support their Black Stars.

    During the debate on the 2023 budget statement presented by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, only 21 MPs on the Majority side were present. Also, the Minority was infuriated by the absence of Ministers who were to be present to defend the budget allocation to their respective ministries.

    It is unknown where the remaining Majority MPs were on November 29, when Parliament debated the budget.

    It comes as no surprise that Mr Nartey George has jabbed his colleagues who he says should return to do what they are being paid to do.

    The remaining three takeaways provided by the heartbroken MP are that Ghana needs a “proper coach with technical know-how”, and “the GFA executives need to stop interfering in team selection.”

    Despite Ghana’s defeat, he was pleased that “we are going home with Uruguay.”

    Meanwhile, Otto Addo has stepped down as the head coach of the senior national team.

  • World Cup: Otto Addo steps down after Ghana’s exit

    Otto Addo ceases to be the head coach of the Ghana Black Stars following his resignation.

    The 47-year-old stepped down after the senior national football team suffered a humiliating defeat to Uruguay today, December 2.

    Ghana lost by two goals to nil in a game many Ghanaians expected the players to seek revenge against Luis Suarez, who cost Ghana a semi-final appearance at the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.

    Otto Addo will continue as an assistant coach at Borussia Dortmund.

    Captain Dede Ayew is currently under public scrutiny after he missed a penalty.

    Ghana has been kicked out of the ongoing World Cup happening in Qatar. Before their exit, they lost to Portugal but beat South Korea.

    South Korea has however progressed to the round of 16 after beating Portugal today.

     

  • Uruguay dominate Ghana ‘revenge’ game; both teams sent packing home

    Ghana Black Stars have once again failed to live up to expectations and have left Ghanaians in shambles as a result.

    Ghana faced Uruguay today in the ongoing World Cup tournament with hopes of progressing to the round of 16.

    Just as hopes were built, dreams came crashing down when Uruguay tossed and ravaged Ghana.

    What was to be a revenge game turned into an eyesore, particularly when captain Andre Ayew missed a penalty that would have put Ghana in a lead position.

    Luis Suarez’s side scored a few minutes after Dede Ayew missed a penalty in the 21st minute.

    G. de Arrascaeta took advantage of a confusion that hit Ghana and scored in the 26th minute.

    Arrascaeta doubled his side’s dominance in the 32nd minute.

    Ghana’s defense proved to be porous.

    Uruguay’s victory however did not materialize as they missed the bullseye, which is a place in the round of 16.

    South Korea ensured Uruguay’s absence when they won their game against Portugal which took place simultaneously.

    South Korea beat Ronaldo’s side by two goals to one. Portugal led Group H with 6 points.

    South Korea and Uruguay followed with 4 points. Ghana was at the bottom with 3 points.

  • Sorrow hits Ghana as Uruguay score 2 goals

    Uruguay have taken the lead position in their game against the Black Stars of Ghana.

    Luis Suarez’ side scored a few minutes after Dede Ayew missed a penalty in the 21st minute.

    G. de Arrascaeta took advantage of a confusion that hit Ghana and scored in the 26th minute.

    Arrascaeta doubled his side’s dominance in the 32nd minute.

    Ghana’s defense has proven to be porous.

    Uruguay are on their toes to win today’s match to ensure they progress to the round of 16 at the World Cup tournament.

    Black Stars captain Andre Ayew is leading Ghana once again. Ghanaians on Twitter are not pleased with him. They are pissed that he missed the opportunity to score.

    Jordan Ayew, Zigi, Seidu, Baba, Amartey, Salisu, Salis, Partey, Kudus and Inaki are those currently ensuring Ghana does not lose today’s game.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

     

     

  • World Cup 2022: Ghana’s starting XI to face Uruguay

    Ghana head coach Otto Addo has released his first eleven who will be playing against Uruguay Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar.

    Black Stars captain Andre Ayew will be leading Ghana once again. He will be receiving support from his brother, Jordan Ayew, who exhibited great skills when Ghana played against South Korea.

    The other players in the list include Zigi, Seidu, Baba, Amartey, Salisu, Salis, Partey, Kudus and Inaki.

    Tariq Lamptey who has been on the minds of many Ghanaian women is among the substitutes.

    The remaining substitutes are Danlad, Odoi, Fatawu, Osman, Aidoo, Semenyo, Barnieh, Manaf, Kyereh, Mensah, Sulemana, Sowah and Djiku.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • World Cup 2022: Black Stars off to Al Janoub Stadium for Uruguay clash

    Players and the technical team of the Ghana Black Stars have set off to Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar, where they will play against Uruguay.

    Ghana would decide whether they progress to the round of 16 in the World Cup tournament in today’s match.

    At exactly 3pm GMT, the much-anticipated game will commence. 

    The two teams have history. For Ghana, it is a bad memory as Luis Suarez, who at the eleventh hour, decided to become a goalkeeper, robbed Ghana of a semi-final slot in the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.

    Former Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan, failed to capitalize on the penalty awarded to Ghana. But coach Otto Addo says he is not in search of revenge.

    On his part, Uruguay forward, Luis Suarez, says he owes Ghanaians no apology for the  Black Stars’ quarter final exit at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

    Check out the Black Stars team:

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Ghana vs Uruguay predictions: La Celeste can earn a thrilling win

    Ghana will be seeking retribution and all three points against Uruguay, after been denied a spot in the 2010 World Cup semifinals by controversial scorer Luis Suarez’s red card 12 years ago.

    A tie would be sufficient to disqualify Uruguay from the 2022 competition and is likely to be sufficient to do so. However, the Black Stars might believe they need a win as backup in case South Korea defeats already-qualified Portugal.

    The likes of Suarez, Edinson Cavani, and Diego Godin are no longer essential to La Celeste’s success, despite the fact that some of the Uruguayans from 2010 are still present. Instead, they are being propelled forward by a superb midfield trio consisting of Matias Vecino, Federico Valverde, and Rodrigo Bentancur.

    In a 2-3 loss to Portugal, Ghana’s own 2010 veteran Andre Ayew energized his previously sluggish team. Meanwhile, Jordan Ayew pulled up two assists to help his nation upset South Korea 3-2, putting them on the edge of their first knockout stage appearance since 2010.

    Team news

    Gideon Mensah of Ghana had to leave the match against South Korea in the closing minutes, but it has subsequently been revealed that the left-back was just experiencing cramp, leaving Otto Addo with a fully healthy squad.

    Mexican center back Since Ronald Araujo is still recovering from thigh surgery, he is expected to sit this one out as well. However, Diego Alonso is the only other reported absence.

    The stats

    Ghana will lean heavily on striker Andre Ayew if they are to have any chance of progressing
    Ghana will lean heavily on striker Andre Ayew if they are to have any chance of progressing

    Ghana’s 3-2 victory over South Korea last time out was their first win at the World Cup since losing on penalties to Uruguay in 2010. They took just one point from the 2014 World Cup, did not qualify in 2018 and lost to Portugal in their opening match in Qatar.

    But the Black Stars were hugely fortunate against South Korea. Addo’s men were outperformed on almost every metric, claiming just 37% possession, completing 270 passes to Korea’s 601, taking only seven shots to South Korea’s 22 and scoring with each of their three shots on target.

    Uruguay have yet to score at Qatar 2022 but have been unlucky not to, hitting the woodwork three times across their two games against South Korea and Portugal.

    Prediction

    Uruguay will be frustrated with their one point from two games in Group H, and understandably so.

    They were the better team against South Korea but twice hit the post in a 0-0 draw. And they deserved at least a point against Portugal, again hitting the woodwork and having a harsh penalty awarded against them in a 2-0 defeat.

    By contrast, Ghana have been the great entertainers of the World Cup.

    The Black Stars have been involved in two five-goal thrillers and could be involved in another in their final group-stage outing, so over 2.5 goals looks like a wise addition to BetBuilder selections with LiveScore Bet.

    But Ghana’s fortune from their South Korea success may not follow them into this clash.

    Uruguay are more technically accomplished in midfield and have been rock-solid in defence since Diego Alonso took over, with La Celeste conceding just one goal in five competitive matches before the start of the World Cup.

    It should be a more entertaining match than their previous Group H outings, and this time Uruguay can celebrate in style. A win for La Celeste and over 2.5 goals looks the way to go and is available at 9/5 with Livescore Bet.

  • 2022 World Cup: Trevor Noah declares support for Ghana Black Stars

    At the current World Cup in Qatar, many fans’ favorite team is still Ghana’s Black Stars.

    The Daily Show host, Trevor Noah, has publicly expressed his support for the West African team, the Black Stars, who will play Uruguay in their third match on December 2 in an effort to advance from the Group stages.

    On his show, the South African comedian and writer revealed that whenever his nation is eliminated from the competition, he automatically switches sides to Ghana.

    Since 2002, the South African national side has failed to earn a spot in the World Cup.

    On November 14, 2021, Ghana’s penalty ended their chances of moving on to the next round of World Cup qualification, shattering all of their dreams.

    “If South Africa is not in the World Cup which is most of the time, we used to be but now we are not anymore. I then immediately switch to Ghana.

    “Ghana is the number one for me. I am glad that they actually won the game,” said Trevor Noah.

    The popular TV host also named Senegal, Brazil and France among his favourite teams at the World Cup.

  • Ghana vs Uruguay game a ‘revenge match’ – KiDi

    Today’s highly anticipated encounter between Ghana and Uruguay is a game with a special significance for Ghana’s Afropop singer KiDi.

    It’s a “revenge match!” he declared on Twitter.

    “Go Black Stars, go,” he also cheered.

    He once more used the emoji for crossed swords to criticize Uruguay.

    The tweet was posted on Monday, November 28, in the jubilation of Ghana’s 3-2 victory over South Korea in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    Ghana had lost 3-2 to Portugal in their Qatar 2022 Group H debut, but this victory gave them reason for optimism.

    The West African nation faces off against Uruguay, their bitter rivals who prevented them from achieving history at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, on Friday, December 2.

    Ghana was on the verge of becoming the first nation from Africa to advance to the World Cup semifinal round.

    However, Luis Suarez parried the ball with his hand, denying Ghana the victory in the frantic match’s closing seconds.

    Asamoah Gyan’s subsequent penalty, which was similarly unsuccessful, broke the hearts of many supporters throughout Africa, but especially in Ghana.

    To advance to the round of 16, the Otto Addo-led Ghana Black Stars must defeat Uruguay tomorrow.

    Luis Suarez has emphasized that tomorrow’s game is a must-win while noting that Portugal and Ghana are leading Group H with 3 and 6 points, respectively.

    “We have one point and the final match against Ghana is do and die. We have no option than to win to make our fans happy,” he has noted to the press.

    “We are going to put our lives and soul in this last match,” he emphasised, adding confidently that: “Ghana is a good team but we know them, we have beaten them before and we know how to beat them again.”

  • 2022 World Cup: Ghana’s qualification hinged on beating Uruguay

    Ghana will today play Uruguay in the ongoing 2022 World Cup tournament happening in Qatar.

    At exactly 3pm GMT, Otto Addo’s side will ensure they do not break the hearts of Ghanaians by qualifying to the next stage, as well as beat Uruguay to atone for sins of the former team led by Asamoah Gyan.

    The two teams have history. For Ghana, it is a bad memory as Luis Suarez, who at the eleventh hour, decided to become a goalkeeper, robbed Ghana of a semi-final slot in the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.

    Former Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan, failed to capitalize on the penalty awarded to Ghana.

    On the other hand, coach Otto Addo says he is not in search of revenge.

    In his interactions with the media, he has stated that their match against Uruguay is just ‘normal’ and is optimistic that Black Stars will progress from Group H.

    “For me, it’s a normal game, but like everyone, I was really sad in 2010 when that incident [of Luis Suarez denying Ghana a certain goal] happened and we missed our chance to proceed to the semis. But it is 12 years ago and Friday will be a different match with a different approach,” Addo said as quoted by the Ghana FA website.

    “We are confident enough to know that we can beat them and make it to the next round. We are gradually picking up and I know the boys will show a lot of fight and a lot of passion.

    “I am sure our efforts will be rewarded and we will go to the next stage.”

    On his part, Uruguay forward, Luis Suarez, says he owes Ghanaians no apology for the  Black Stars’ quarter final exit at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

    “The first time, I don’t apologise about that,” he told the media at a press conference ahead of Uruguay’s final group game against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup.

    “I take the handball – but the Ghana player missed a penalty, not me. Maybe I apologise if I injure a player but in this situation, I take a red card, the referee says penalty, it’s not my fault.”

    In Group H, Ghana are second with three points following a 3-2 win over South Korea, while Portugal have already advanced with two wins over the Black Stars and Uruguay.

    Uruguay drew with South Korea and are at the bottom of the group with a point, the same as the latter who have a superior goal difference.

     

  • Ghana, Uruguay meet again at World Cup after 2010 drama

    In a rematch of one of the most contentious games of the World Cup, Ghana and Uruguay face off on Friday, and Luis Suarez has yet to apologize for his pivotal role in the controversy from 12 years ago.

    Uruguay striker Suarez’s deliberate handball on the goal line at the end of extra time in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa denied Ghana a certain goal and a place in history as the first African team to reach the semis.

    Suarez was sent off for the handball but celebrated wildly on the sidelines when Asamoah Gyan hit the penalty off the crossbar. Uruguay won the ensuing penalty shootout.

    To make it worse, Suarez boasted after the 2010 game: “Truth is, it was worth it.”

     

    On Thursday, he remained unrepentant.

    “I don’t apologize because I take the handball and the red card but the Ghana player missed the penalty. It’s not my fault because I didn’t miss the penalty,” Suarez said.

    Ghana can now go some way toward settling the score. By beating Uruguay in their final Group H match, Ghana would advance to the round of 16, while knocking Uruguay out of the tournament.

    Though the match in Al Wakrah has been circled as one to watch ever since the World Cup draw was made, Ghana coach Otto Addo tried his best to cast it as a “normal game” despite 2010 remaining a raw and painful memory for many Ghanaians, who are demanding revenge for the handball.

    “For me, it’s not a big topic,” Addo said, adding he wouldn’t criticize one of his own players if they did the same as Suarez. “I would expect every player to do all he can to make sure his team goes through. Even sacrificing himself with a red card.”

    “What happened in 2010 is very sad but we can’t change it. We want to look forward and we want to win this game,” he said. “No matter how.”

    Ghana, which squeezed out a thrilling 3-2 win over South Korea in its last game, must win again in Al Wakrah to be certain of going past the group stage for the first time since 2010. A draw could also be enough depending on the result of South Korea vs. Portugal.

    Captain Andre Ayew is the only Black Stars player in Qatar who was on the 2010 squad.

    Uruguay has a handful, including the 35-year-old Suarez, who is playing what’s likely his farewell World Cup before winding down a career that saw him celebrated as one of the best forwards in the world at one point.

    He won the Copa America with Uruguay and Spanish league titles and a Champions League trophy with Barcelona.

    Suarez also carved out a reputation as one of the game’s most controversial characters and has been punished three times for biting opponents, including a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Suarez started Uruguay’s 0-0 draw with South Korea in Qatar but was on the bench for the 2-0 loss to Portugal, which left Uruguay bottom of the group.

    Uruguay must now beat Ghana and hope South Korea doesn’t beat Portugal to extend its stay at the World Cup and Suarez’s international career for at least one more game. The goal difference will decide if Uruguay and South Korea both win.

    Stoking it just a little bit more, Suarez said the 2010 game against Ghana does still mean anything to Uruguay.

    “We are going to put our lives and soul into this match,” Suarez said. “Ghana is a good team but we know them, we have beaten them before and we know how to beat them again.”

     

    Source: African News

  • World Cup 2022: He will cry: Ghana fans relish revenge against Suarez

    When Ghana face Uruguay on Friday in their decisive final World Cup group match, one name will be on the minds of many from the West African country: Luis Suarez.

    The Uruguay striker broke Ghanaian hearts at the 2010 World Cup when his deliberate handball stopped a certain goal in the dying stages of their quarterfinal.

    Suarez was sent off but Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty – cue wild celebrations from Suarez on the sidelines – and Uruguay then beat the Black Stars in the penalty shootout.

    It is a dark day scorched deep in the memory of many Ghanaian football fans.

    “We were waiting to celebrate, but we cried in the streets,” said Samuel Quist, 36, buying a Ghana team shirt in the capital Accra in preparation for Friday’s game.

    “I hated that day.”

    This time it is Uruguay who are up against it – a Ghana win would put them into the last 16 and send Uruguay home, but a draw for Ghana could also be enough.

    Current Ghana skipper Andre Ayew, the only player left from the 2010 squad, attempted to play down talk of revenge.

    “Everyone felt bad (in 2010) but for me, I just want to get to the next stage,” he told reporters in Qatar.

    “Revenge or not, we would go with the same determination and desire to win because we want to get to the next stage.”

    “I am not looking back, I don’t want to focus on the past,” added the softly-spoken 32-year-old forward.

    But try telling that to people in Ghana who are not willing to forgive or forget Uruguay and especially Suarez, the feisty 35-year-old striker who has been banned from football in the past for biting opponents.

    “Luis Suarez, Luis Suarez, we all remember, so it is revenge on Friday,” said Philip Sheshe, 32, outside a market store selling Ghana jerseys.

    “On that day the ball was meant to enter the net but he used his hand.”

    That sentiment was echoed by ruling-party lawmaker Collins Adomako-Mensah.

    “They gave us a very powerful defeat. We have never forgiven Suarez,” he told AFP.

    “He should expect fireworks from our boys.

    “Just as we cried 12 years ago, he will cry on Friday.”

  • FIFA appoints German referees for Ghana vs Uruguay clash

    FIFA has appointed the referees and assisting referees for Ghana’s game against Uruguay.

    A release from Ghana Football Association (GFA) said Daniel Siebert from Germany has been appointed to officiate the Group H clash between Ghana and Uruguay at Al Janoub stadium on Friday, December 2, 2022.

    The 38-year-old Berlin born referee who is ranked as a UEFA elite category referee started referring in 2005 and received his FIFA badge in 2015. Siebert is currently rated as one of the best referees in the German Bundesliga.

    The release further stated that Daniel Siebert will be assisted by compatriots Seidel Jan (Assistant I) and Foltyn Rafael (Assistant II) while Yamashita Yoshimi serves as the 4th Referee.

    Other Officials include:

    Marinescu Vasile Romania – Reserve Assistant Referee

    Dankert Bastian – Germany – Video Assistant Referee

    Van Boekel Pol – The Netherlands – Assistant VAR

    Carbone Ciro -Italy – Offside VAR

    Valeri Paolo – Italy – Support VAR

    Giallantini Alessandro – Italy – Standby Assistant VAR

     

  • World Cup 2022: Thomas Partey reveals Ghana’s plan ahead of Uruguay clash

    Thomas Partey has disclosed that Black Stars will head into their final group game against Uruguay to get a positive result at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Ghana and Uruguay face off at the Al Janoub Stadium on Friday at 15:00 GMT.

    The two sides are in search of a ticket to the knockout stage with Ghana needing a win to automatically seal their spot in the next round of the tournament while the Uruguayans desperately need a win against Ghana to progress to the next round.

    ‘We want to show we are capable of anything and this is a different game and we need to stick to our plan,” Partey said at pre-match press conference on Thursday.

    ‘The plan to get a good result.”

    On Ghana’s defeat to Uruguay in 2010, the Arsenal midfielder added, “It was a sad day for me but based on my perspective it is not a big topic and going into the match like any other match.”

    The game will be a repeat of the 2010 World Cup quarter-final incident which saw Luis Suarez save his side with the handball incident as Ghana eventually bowed out of the tournament on penalty shootouts.

    Black Stars are currently second in Group H while Uruguay lie bottom with only one point.

  • World Cup 2022: Ex-Uruguay defender Hugo De León charges players to fight until the end against Ghana

    Former Uruguay defender Hugo De León has urged  players to  put in all effort to defeat Ghana in the final group game in the World Cup.

     Uruguay have managed just a point after suffering defeat against Portugal on Monday afternoon after two games in Group H

    Meanwhile, Ghana earned an important win to boost their chances of progressing to the round of 16.

    The Black Stars inflicted a 3-2 win over the Asian giants to boost their chances of qualifying to the knockout phase.

    The four-time African champions must avoid defeat against Uruguay to book a spot in the Round of 16.

    Ahead of their clash with Ghana, the former Uruguay international has charged the players to play until the end of the game.

    With six points, the 2016 European Champions are now leading Group H ahead of Ghana, who has three.

    Prior to Friday’s final group games, Uruguay and South Korea both have one point each.

    In the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, a Luis Suarez handball incident prevented Ghana from advancing to the semifinals.

    Dominic Adiyiah of Ghana’s blocked the former Liverpool and Barcelona forward’s goal-bound header in the final second of extra time at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

    Suarez effectively made a goalkeeper-caliber stop on the line, and as a result, he received a straight red card.

    A penalty kick was given to Ghana as well, but Asamoah Gyan‘s shot from 12 yards hit the crossbar, causing Suarez to lose his mind on the sidelines and forcing a shootout.

    Luis Suarez was applauded for his diabolical act as Uruguay advanced to the semifinals following the penalty shootout victory.

     

  • World Cup 2022: Beating Ghana and qualifying for Round 16 is the goal – Luis Suarez

    Uruguay striker, Luis Suarez, has lamented the team’s 2-0 loss against Portugal but insisted that his colleagues should concentrate on defeating Ghana in the following game.

    Uruguay is on the verge of leaving the FIFA World Cup in 2022 early after two games without a victory.

    The all-time leading scorer of goals claimed that Uruguay’s loss to Portugal last Monday was really heartbreaking.

    According to him, Uruguay must only concentrate on a win against Ghana in the final Group H contest.

    “All defeats hurt, especially in a World Cup. Now it’s time to be together as a group and not look for more excuses. Winning and qualifying, that’s our goal. Trust us that we are going to drop everything,” Luis Suarez said in a post on Instagram.

    The striker is expected to be in action for Uruguay when they take on Ghana in the final Group H match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    Uruguay will need to win that game to stand any chance of advancing to the Round of 16 of the tournament ongoing in Qatar.

    The opponent, Ghana only needs a draw to secure qualification to Round 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

     

  • World Cup 2022: Uruguay captain Diego Godin calls on teammates to push to beat Ghana

    Captain of the Uruguay national team, Diego Godin has expressed optimism about the chances of securing a win against the Black Stars of the Ghana later this week.

    According to him, now is the time for the squad to come together and focus on the much-needed win to advance to the knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    “We have one final left!!! Time to be all together, work, believe and have courage!!! I invite each Uruguayan to push and send good energy from wherever they are, to qualify,” Diego Godin shared on Instagram after Uruguayl’s 2-0 defeat to Portugal.

     

    On his part, striker Luis Suarez also said, “All defeats hurt, especially in a World Cup. Now it’s time to be together as a group and not look for more excuses. Winning and qualifying, that’s our goal. Trust us that we are going to drop everything .”

    The two players are expected to be in action for Uruguay when they take on Ghana in the final Group H match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Friday, December 2.

    Uruguay will need to win that game to stand any chance of advancing to the Round of 16 of the tournament ongoing in Qatar.

    The opponent, Ghana only needs a draw to secure qualification to Round 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

  • World Cup 2022: Ghana can beat Uruguay – Otto Addo

    The coach of the Black Stars, Otto Addo, is quite certain that his team will defeat Uruguay in their final group match on Friday in order to advance to the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    The Black Stars will play Uruguay in their final group game, where they are currently ranked second in Group H.

    Ghana will advance to the round of 16 whether they win or draw.

    “It was really, really long time ago that this incident happened and I am a strong believer that if you don’t seek too much revenge on these kind of things, sometimes you get the blessings,” coach Otto Addo said.

    “It will be very difficult but I am confident to know that we can win this game.”

    Following their 3-2 victory over South Korea, Ghana became the third African nation, after Senegal and Morocco, to achieve a win in the tournament’s second round of fixtures.

    The four-time African champions’ World Cup run got off to a bad start as they fell to Portugal, who advanced to the round of 16.

  • The focus is on Uruguay after beating South Korea – Mohammed Kudus

    Black Stars midfielder, Mohammed Kudus, says the team will now focus on their last group game against Uruguay following the win over South Korea.

    Ghana secured a 3-2 win over the Asian side on Monday, November 28, with a brace from the Ajax star while Mohammed Salisu scored the other.

    Kudus’ brace and performance on the day saw him clinch the Player of the Match award at the end of the game.

     

    Speaking after being given the award, the 22-year-old said, “We got the three points today and the focus is on Uruguay,” he said.

    “So we go in with the same mentality and the same attitude. I know everyone is up for it.”

    With the win over South Korea, Ghana now have three points, having lost their opening game. They face Uruguay on Friday, December 1.

  • World Cup 2022: Man invades Portugal vs Uruguay game with rainbow flag

    An individual holding a rainbow flag entered the field during the Portugal vs. Uruguay World Cup match in the Lusail Stadium.

    The player in issue entered the field just over five minutes into the second half and briefly stopped play.

    The invader also had the slogans “Save Ukraine” and “Respect for Iranian Women” on his clothing, which also featured the Superman insignia.

    Security then removed him, and Iranian referee Alireza Faghani did the same with the offending flag.

    The actions of the pitch invader are the most recent act of protest at Qatar 2022, where the host country severely restricts LGBTQ+ rights.

    FIFA effectively prevented European teams from wearing the OneLove armband in a display of solidarity, and Germany protested by covering their mouths before their encounter with Japan.

    The event also makes mention of the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the ongoing protests against women’s rights in Iran.

    On December 2, Portugal and Uruguay face South Korea and Ghana in their respective final Group H matches.\

  • Fernandes uninterested by Ronaldo goal debate after Portugal progress

    Bruno Fernandes, who was given credit for the first goal in Portugal’s 2-0 victory over Uruguay to advance to the World Cup’s round of 16, said, “I don’t really think it matters.”

    After defeating Uruguay at Lusail Stadium, the Manchester United midfielder scored twice as Fernando Santos’ team ensured their progress into the knockout stage with one game remaining.

    Cristiano Ronaldo first appeared to have glanced in Fernandes’ cross in the 54th minute as Portugal’s first goal, but FIFA eventually stepped in and gave it to the latter.

    Fernandes secured the victory with a late penalty kick and is now concentrated on avoiding defeat against South Korea on Friday in order to take first place in Group H.

    “I don’t really think it matters who scored the goal at this point,” he said when asked about Portugal’s first strike. “The feeling I had at the time was that Cristiano touched the ball. I was passing the ball to him.

    “But what’s important is that we were able to go on to the next round after a very important win against a tough opponent.

    “The importance of being first [in Group H] includes winning the next game, which would allow us to come out of the group undefeated with three wins, and that’s what we want.

    “We know we will find a very well-organised [South Korea] team ahead of us. Our objective is to think match after match – to win all the ones in the group phase, we still have one ahead of us.

    “We have to do our very best because we want to win all the matches.”

    Portugal won its first two World Cup games for only the third time, also accomplishing the feat in 1966 and 2006 in runs to the semi-final stage. Santos expects Portugal can complete the task to win Group H.

    Nuno Mendes will be evaluated in “24 hours,” the head coach of Portugal said, adding that after hobbling off during the first half.

    “All our team have a great performance,” Santos said. “The game was difficult, our opponent was difficult.

    “In the second half, we managed to play as we are used to; despite the fact that the Uruguayan players were playing very well.

    “Our players responded with purpose, and we managed to win with fair play. We have a feeling of satisfaction as we can move to the next stage.

    “[Two wins from two is] exactly what I wanted for my team. As I said back in Portugal, our team is very united, we have a very good team building, and now we are given the answers to what was asked of us.

    “There is still a match to be played; we need to be careful with our considerations. We do want to be first [in Group H], but we are not first yet. As a result, we need to continue improving on our tactics.”

     

  • Uruguay unlikely to move Valverde forward to get him among goals

    Uruguay head coach Diego Alonso believes his Real Madrid star Federico Valverde is best suited as a defensive midfielder, but that the team will need to perform better as a whole to allow him to “shine more”.

    Alonso’s comments came after Monday’s disappointing 2-0 loss to Portugal, leaving Uruguay alongside Mexico and Tunisia as the only teams without a goal through two matches.

    Following their failure to score in their 0-0 opener against South Korea, Uruguay were well-handled by the Portuguese, controlling only 40 per cent of the possession, although they only narrowly trailed in expected goals 1.33 to 1.27.

    Not short on talent, Uruguay fielded a starting XI that included Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and 135-cap veteran Edinson Cavani up front, while Tottenham’s Rodrigo Betancur partnered Valverde in midfield.

    Having played both in central midfield and on the wing for Madrid, Valverde was deployed in the engine room against Portugal, and despite their desperation for goals, Alonso made it clear that is where he feels the 24-year-old is most valuable.

    “I think Federico has played full matches with us in the qualifying round,” he said. “He’s played in the same position, even playing higher up.

    “I think he played as a defensive midfielder with a second pivot together with Bentancur. It’s the same position that you saw today. He was even playing higher up, or as a wide midfielder.

    “I think his main skill is playing through the central lanes. With us, he’s showed a great performance in that position.

    “When you talk about shooting, I think he shot once [against Korea], it just missed the top corner. He was unlucky he couldn’t score.

    “For us, he’s an important player with many skills. When the team plays better, I’m sure he will shine more.”

    Despite their lack of potency going forward, Uruguay still have a chance to advance to the knockout stage if they can defeat Ghana in their final Group H fixture – a rematch from 2010’s quarter-final where Uruguay advanced on penalties.

    “We are looking for victory against Ghana, there is no doubt about it,” Alonso said. “If we have to make slight modifications, that is what we’ll do.

    “We will provide a team all the weapons we have at hand, so I have full trust in my players. I’m sure the next game will be hard, but we will go all out so that we have a victory and we qualify.

    “We are talking about qualifying or not qualifying. It was very important back in [2010], but this is a different situation. It will be a crucial game, but has nothing to do with what happened 12 years ago.

    “We need to feel free and move freely as we played during the second half against Korea. We need to gamble more and push forward, playing in between the lines and going for one-on-ones on the sides.

    “Sometimes, opponents also play, they stop you, they know which are your main skills and they try to counter your play. But we need to continue trusting our team, our skills, the players we have, and to also give them trust to develop their game.”

  • Former England star Chris Sutton discusses Ghana’s group after opening day fixtures

    Chris Sutton, a former England international, has provided insight on Ghana’s group for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    At the 22nd FIFA World Cup, Ghana has been placed in Group H with South Korea, Uruguay, and Portugal.

    In their second group match against South Korea on Monday, the Black Stars will look to shift the narrative after losing to Portugal in their opening match.

    Sutton, a BBC analyst who currently evaluates groups, said of Ghana’s group: “Group H is a group with possibilities offered to all teams.”

    “Group H is a group with possibilities open to all teams.” “This group is not easy to predict. He changed the results several times alone.”

    The 2016 European Champions currently sit top of Group H with three points.

    Meanwhile, the defeat means Ghana are bottom of Group H after Uruguay and South Korea played out a goalless draw earlier on Thursday.

    The Black Stars will now turn their attention to their upcoming matches against South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2, respectively.

  • You’re more than capable; make us proud – Nana Addo to Black Stars after Portugal loss

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Black Stars players of continuous support from Ghanaians despite the 3-2 defeat to Portugal during the opening game at the ongoing 2023 World Cup in Qatar.

    Nana Akufo-Addo says Ghanaians are optimistic the Black Stars will win the remaining matches to qualify to the next stage of the competition.

    “I know that you are more than capable of going forward, coming out of this competition very well. Fortunately for you, I came here to express the solidarity of the people of Ghana for you and to encourage you. I know you are going to make all of us very proud”, he told the team.

    Earlier in a tweet, the President praised the Black Stars for an impressive performance against Portugal.

    The Black Stars were on the wrong side of a 3-2 loss on Thursday, but a strong second-half performance saw them almost snatch a draw late on.

    A penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo was cancelled out by Andre Ayew’s strike.

    Goals from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao appeared to have sealed the game for Portugal, but they had to endure a nerve-wracking end to the game after Osman Bukari headed in a cross for Ghana.

    In a tweet after the game, Nana Akufo-Addo praised the team for their performance, which he said proved that they could compete with any side at the World Cup.

    “Gutsy performance by the Black Stars in today’s match against Portugal. Very proud of the entire team,” the President said.

    “They live to fight another day, & have shown they have what it takes to mix it up against any team in the tournament. Looking forward to the next game against South Korea.”

    Gutsy performance by the @GhanaBlackstars in today’s match against Portugal. Very proud of the entire team. They live to fight another day, & have shown they have what it takes to mix it up against any team in the tournament. Looking forward to the next game against South Korea. pic.twitter.com/FiDWm5fO4b

    — Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) November 24, 2022

    Prior to the game, Nana Akufo-Addo visited the team at their hotel and offered words of encouragement to the players.

    Ghana will now face South Korea on Monday before taking on Uruguay in their final group game.

  • World Cup 2022: Here are the top five games to watch in the Group stage including Ghana vs Uruguay

    The much-anticipated 2022 World Cup will kick start this weekend, with 32 countries set to battle it out for the covetous trophy in Qatar.

    These are some tough games to watch in the group stages of the tournament in the Asian country including the Black Stars and Uruguay.

    First, the Group A match between Qatar and Ecuador (1:00 a.m. on the 21st, Korea time), which will be held as the opening match, was selected

    1.Qatar vs Ecuador:  

    First, the Group A match between Qatar and Ecuador has been selected because it is the opening game of the tournament.

    2. Argentina and Mexico:

    It is the first confrontation between strong teams from each continent in the group stage.”

    Argentina and Mexico are drawn in Group C along with Saudi Arabia and Poland.

    3. Germany vs Spain- November 28

    The battle between the two European giants will be the best group stage match between the 2014 World Champion and the 2010 World Champion Spain.

    4. Iran and the United States will be playing in Group B on October 30.

    This is also a result of the two countries’ political ties.  Iran defeated the United States 2-1 in their group stage match up at the 1998 World Cup in France.

    5. Ghana vs Uruguay game- December 3

    Ghana were denied a semifinal berth at the World Cup courtesy of a Luis Suarez handball incident in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

    The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward prevent a goal-bound header from Ghana’s Dominic Adiyiah in the final minute of extra time at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

    Suarez essentially produced a save on the line worthy of a goalkeeper and he was shown a straight red card as a result.

    Ghana were also awarded a penalty, but Asamoah Gyan’s attempt from 12 yards crashed into the crossbar, which resulted in Suarez going mental on the touchline and sent the game to a shootout.

    Uruguay won the penalty shoot-out to progress to the semifinals with Luis Suarez celebrated for his demonic act.

    This means, the two teams clash will be a difficult one at the tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: Black Stars players to be paid in Ghana cedis – Reports

    Black Stars players are reportedly set to be paid in Ghana cedis and not dollars at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    The players, according to reports, have been told to give their cedis bank account details to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for the payment of their appearance fees.

    Each player will receive $100,000 as an appearance fee at the World Cup in Qatar, hence every player will earn ₵1,470,000.00 and their per diem which is $500 will also be ₵7,350.00.

    Black Stars, who are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.

    Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.

    Black Stars held their first training session on Tuesday evening in Abu Dhabi ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals.

    25 players were put through their paces by coach Otto Addo including Alexander Djiku and Kamal Deen Sulemana who arrived earlier on Tuesday to join the rest of the team.

    The players include, Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Danlad Ibrahim, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Nurudeen Abdul Manaf, Mohammed Salisu, Daniel Amartey, Denis Odoi, Baba Abdul Rahman, Gideon Mensah, Alidu Seidu, Salis Abdul Samed, Elisha Owusu, Kamal Sowah, Antoine Semenyo, Tariq Lamptey, Osman Bukari, Thomas Partey, Inaki Williams, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Daniel Barnieh Afriyie, Mohammed Kudus, Daniel Kofi Kyereh, Alexander Djiku and Kamal Deen Sulemana.

    The team will stay in the capital of the United Arab Emirates for four days where they will play an International friendly against Switzerland at the Baniyas club stadium on Thursday, November 17, 2022.

    Ghana secured a 4th FIFA World Cup tournament having participated in 2006, 2010, and 2014 in Germany, South Africa, and Brazil after drawing 1-1 against Nigeria in the return leg of the final play-offs at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja to seal qualification on the away goals rule.

    The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place between November 20 and December 18, 2022.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

    Source: Football Ghana

  • Van Dijk insists Liverpool ‘never doubted Nunez quality’ after brace

    Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool “never doubted” the quality of Darwin Nunez following the striker’s recent upturn in fortunes.

    Nunez endured a frustrating start to life at Anfield following his big-money move from Benfica, receiving a straight card against Crystal Palace in just his third appearance under Jurgen Klopp.

    However, the Uruguay international is starting to hit his stride in English football; his two goals in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Southampton taking his tally for the season to nine.

    “We never doubted his quality but obviously, when you have a price tag like that and the goals are not flowing like you want, it’s good [he has shown character] and I think he’s done very well,” Van Dijk said.

    “He has all the qualities for a modern-day striker. There is a reason why we bought him, and he’s maturing, he’s stayed patient, kept his head down and played and that’s a credit to him. Hopefully, he can keep scoring and stay important for the group.

    “Obviously, he learns how we want to play, he learns what we expect from him, he plays a little bit on the left, but also has a free role coming into the middle.

    “It takes time. It is a new team, new environment, new country, new language, so it is absolutely normal for him to take a little bit more time [to settle in], but there is no doubt the qualities are there, and the goals will follow.”

    Van Dijk also heaped praise on goalkeeper Alisson, who made a string of impressive saves to keep Southampton at bay during the victory at Anfield.

    The Netherlands skipper additionally highlighted Roberto Firmino’s character, with the forward opening the scoring against the Saints after being left out of Brazil’s World Cup squad.

    “[Alisson is] important for the group on and off the pitch,” Van Dijk added. “We don’t want him to have to make saves, first and foremost. He had to do so [against Southampton] and he was outstanding.

    “Brazil are a very good team, they have two of their best goalkeepers in their squad and in my opinion, the best goalie in the world is Alisson.

    “I think Bobby [Firmino] should be in, but who am I to say that? He took it on the chin, all you can do is recover and be ready for the rest of the season and I think he will do that.”

    Source: Livescore

  • 2022 World Cup: Black Stars will perform, says Stephen Appiah

    Former Ghana captain, Stephen Appiah, says the Black Stars will perform at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

    The playing body of the team has been under intense criticism following their unimpressive performance in recent times.

    The Black Stars suffered a defeat against Brazil but recorded a narrow win against Nicaragua in the friendly games played in September as part of the preparations for the Mundial.

    The team will come up against Switzerland in a friendly on November 17 before heading to Doha on November 19.

    Despite the criticisms, Appiah, who captained the side to the 20006 World Cup in Germany says the players will come good at the tournament.

     

    According to him, Ghanaian players in Europe have been performing well, and expect them to perform.

    “We will. Watching our players now they are all in top form and this is the time I have been seeing Ghanaians playing watching the Champions League and the Europa League,” Appiah told Joy Sports.

    “That means they are doing well and I hope they will take the same form to Qatar,” he added.

    Otto Addo, who is the head coach for the side will announce his squad on November 14.

    Ghana has been housed in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.

    The 22nd edition of the Mundial has been scheduled to kick off from November 20 to December 18.

  • 2022 World Cup: Ghana opponent Uruguay continues camping this week ahead of World Cup

    Uruguay, Ghana’s group opponent at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, is stepping up training this week in anticipation of the impending competition.

    The world championship’s start date is now less than a month away after years of anticipation.

    Even though several nations’ regular league seasons are still in progress, Uruguay has been able to put together a few backup players in the current national team roster.

    As a result, the South American country opened camping last week as part of preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    While the Uruguay squad is dominated by home-based players, the side will by the weekend have more players in camp.

     

    This week, Uruguay head coach Diego Alonso is continuing the work with his available players in camp.

    The squad will this week also make the trip to Abu Dhabi where the team will play one last friendly match before moving to Qatar finally for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    Besides Ghana, Uruguay will also face Portugal and South Korea in Group H.

  • 2022 World Cup: Ibrahim Sunday confident Black Stars will progress out of Group H

    Ghanaian and African Football legend, Ibrahim Sunday is highly optimistic the Black Stars will qualify from their group at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    Black Stars have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.

    Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.

    “They [Black Stars] are going to make it “Insha Allah”. But they cannot make it without our support. So we need everyone’s support,” Sunday said as quoted by Citi Sports.

    Black Stars will play Switzerland in an International friendly on November 17, before travelling to Qatar for the World Cup.

    The West African country will be making their fourth appearance at the World Cup after missing the previous competition held in Russia four years ago.

    The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place between November 21 and December 18, 2022.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Source: Football Ghana

  • 2022 World Cup: Switzerland friendly will determine Black Stars readiness – Mas-Ud Didi Dramani

    Black Stars assistant coach, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has reiterated that the team’s preparation will be known after the friendly game against Switzerland.

    As part of preparations for the global showpiece, the Black Stars will engage the European side in a friendly game on November 17 at the Baniyas Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

    Having suffered a defeat against Brazil and a narrow win over Nicaragua in the September friendly games, the West African country will hope to secure a win.

    And according to Didi Dramani, the test will prove the Black Stars’ readiness for the tournament in Qatar.

    “The Switzerland game will really tell what we are going to do in Qatar and I believe the team will be ready,” he told Graphic Sports.

    “We’re very positive in what we are doing and we only have control of what we can do.

    “We learned a lot from the game against Brazil. And against Nicaragua we also learned how to play against a team which can sit back and soak pressure from their opponents,” he recalled.

    The Black Stars will officially open camp on November 10 with the official 26-man squad expected to be named on November 14.

    Ghana has been housed in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.

    The 22nd edition of the Mundial is scheduled to kick off from November 20 to December 18.

    Source:Footballghana