Sports
Ghana Vs Uruguay: Is Suarez A Hero Or Villain?
I am struggling to remember a more dramatic end to a World Cup match than Friday’s classic quarter-final tie between Uruguay and Ghana at Soccer City.
Luis Suarez’s goal-line handball from Dominic Adiyiah in the dying seconds of extra-time saved a certain goal but resulted in a red card for the Ajax striker and a penalty that was, literally, the last kick of the game before the shoot-out.
Asamoah Gyan, scorer of two spot-kicks already in South Africa, stood just one strike of the football from taking an African team to the last four of the World Cup for the first time.
He had an entire continent behind him, willing him to score, but heartbreakingly for the 24-year-old, his strike skimmed the crossbar and flew into the stand behind the goal.
Moments after his miss the camera cut to Suarez, who had left the field in a state of despondency but was now overcome by sheer, unadulterated fist-pumping joy.
His gamble had paid off in spectacular style.
Minutes later Gyan showed remarkable guts and resilience to score the first Ghanaian penalty of the shoot-out but Fernando Muslera subsequently saved from John Mensah and Adiyiah.
Sebastian Abreu then delivered a stunning coup de grace with an ice-cool looping penalty kick that took an age to reach the net. Stranded Black Stars goalkeeper Richard Kingson could only look on having already dived to his right.
Abreu, a journeyman of 17 clubs in seven countries, was mobbed by his jubilant team-mates but it was Suarez who had made the ultimate sacrifice.
Suarez explained afterwards that he knew he could not stop Adiyiah’s effort with his head and so used his hand. The huge grin on his face as he spoke to reporters indicated in the clearest terms possible that he had no regrets about what he had done.
But was it clear-cut, blatant out-right cheating or professionalism that ought to be applauded?
I heard several angry people describe it afterwards as the sort of despicable behaviour that needed to be stamped out.
“The referee should have awarded a goal,” said understandably disappointed Ghana defender John Pantsil, although I personally don’t see how Olegario Benquerenca could have given anything other than a penalty if the ball did not cross the line.
Panstil added: “There is no chance that any of us Ghana players would have used our hand to stop the ball – no way.”
It is difficult not to have some sympathy for Pantsil and his team-mates. They had been the better side during extra-time and could not have come any closer to a dramatic winner.
The vast majority of the 84,017 inside Soccer City were behind them, while Milovan Rajevac’s team had the support of the African continent in general.
“Go BaGhana” said Friday’s headline in The Citizen newspaper, a neat play on Bafana Bafana, while The Times suggested “We Ghana win it”.
At one point on Friday I even heard a chant of “Ghana, Ghana, Ghana” momentarily drown out the sound of the vuvuzela.
Ultimately Ghana’s exploits in South Africa have ensured a measure of respectability for the continent after a disappointing group stage that saw the other five African teams fail to qualify.
They have a young side, with seven of the starting XI in Johannesburg 25 or under, and should have a bright future. Despite his agonising Friday, Gyan is a striker of real quality, while young holding midfielder Anthony Annan looks to be a player of immense promise.
The Black Stars became only the third African side after Cameroon and Senegal to reach the last eight and came within a whisker of a place in the last four – and did so without Michael Essien, their best player.
Uruguay were not so much trying to break new ground, as emulate past glories and the victory for Oscar Tabarez’s team gave them their first semi-final place since 1970
The manner of La Celeste’s progression might disgust some but that should not detract from their overall form in South Africa.
They have just conceded two goals in five games and for a country with a population of 3.5 million, reaching this stage of the competition is a stunning achievement.
I saw their opening game against France and must admit I wondered how they were going to enrich this tournament. They played three in the centre of defence, packed the midfield and lacked ambition.
I had underestimated them.
They had got the point they wanted against the group favourites and played a more expansive game against South Africa, winning 3-0, and have also gone on to defeat Mexico and South Korea.
Suarez and Forlan, who equalised against Ghana with a free-kick, have scored six goals at the World Cup.
They have perhaps been the most formidable strike partnership in the tournament and the absence of Ajax striker Suarez will be a major blow when they take on the Netherlands in Cape Town on Tuesday.
“It is a pity, he made a great save today,” said a clearly delighted Forlan, who rated Friday as the greatest night of his career.
“Suarez is one of the heroes. He didn’t score a goal but he saved one and now we are in the semi-final.”
How Suarez’s actions are interpreted is a matter of culture as well as perspective.
What might be regarded in Europe or Africa as cheating is seen as cunning or exploitation of the rules in other parts of the world.
It could be seen as a moral question or an issue of sportsmanship but, despite what Pantsil said, does anybody really think that professional players all over the world would not have done the same thing?
Suarez did what was required to keep his team in the contest – and there is no doubt that if Suarez had not handled the ball his team would now be reflecting on a defeat, not the high-point in Uruguayan football for 40 years.
“I thought we were out,” said Forlan of the moment when Gyan prepared to take his penalty.
“I was convinced we were going home. When I saw the ball go into the stand it was unbelievable – Suarez saved us.”
Sports
Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie A Lead
Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.
Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.
Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.
Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.
But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.
Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.
It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.
Sports
Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool
A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.
Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.
“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.
For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.
Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.
His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.
Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.
Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.
The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.
After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.
“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”
Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.
The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.
“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”
He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.
“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”
Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.
The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).
Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.
Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.
Sports
Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors
Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.
Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.
Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.
Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.
Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.
The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.
-
Sports3 days ago2026 WC: Nigeria, DR Congo Awaits FIFA Verdict Today
-
Environment3 days agoOxfam, partners celebrate 5 years of climate governance programmes in Nigeria
-
Politics3 days ago
ADC, PDP, LP Missing As INEC Set For By- Elections In Rivers
-
Politics3 days ago
FG’s Economic Policies Not Working – APC Chieftain
-
Politics3 days ago2027: Diri Unveils RHA LG Coordinators, APC Congress Panel
-
Politics3 days agoReps To Meet,’Morrow Over INEC’s 2027 Election Timetable
-
Politics3 days agoGroup Continues Push For Real Time Election Results Transmission
-
Sports3 days ago
Sunderland Overcome Oxford Challenge
