“The whole of Africa hates him”- When Luis Suarez’s deliberate last-minute handball denied Ghana a place in 2010 FIFA World Cup semi-finals


“The whole of Africa hates him”- When Luis Suarez’s deliberate last-minute handball denied Ghana a place in 2010 FIFA World Cup semi-finals

Luis Suarez handball against Ghana in 2010 FIFA World Cup

The former Ghana midfielder Ibrahim Ayew has affirmed that they will seek revenge on Uruguay and Luis Suarez at the FIFA World Cup later this week. Both teams are still in the running to advance to the Round of 16 when they clash on Friday.

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Ibrahim Ayew predicted in a statement before the competition that Ghana’s third-round match against Uruguay would decide everything after the initial two rounds of matches in Group H. Exactly that has occurred following Monday’s matches between Ghana’s 3-2 victory over South Korea and Uruguay’s 2-0 defeat to Portugal, in which Suarez’s second-half substitution had little effect.

It is a potential for Ghana to advance to the knockout round and eliminate Suarez and Uruguay. Twelve years after the incident, Ayew says he wants his nation to take revenge in an interview with The Athletic. He stated:

“I thought we had won. I was a substitute, warming up behind that goal, and I ran onto the pitch to celebrate because I was sure the ball had crossed the line. I thought we had done it, the first African team ever to reach the semi-final of the World Cup.” He added: “The whole of Ghana hates him [Luis Suarez], and the whole of Africa hates him. Oh yes, we hate him. And we want revenge.”

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What happened in 2010 FIFA World Cup between Luis Suarez and Ghana?

Suarez prevented Ghana from moving on to the 2010 FIFA World Cup semifinals. Among the most dramatic finishes in World Cup history occurred in that game, and Suarez, who was 23 at the time, was at the center of much debate encircling one of the key moments. After more than ten years, the incident still sparks strong feelings and discussions about sportsmanship and what might have been.

Steven Appiah of Ghana attempted to score in the ending seconds of extra time, but Suarez intercepted the ball on his goal line by using his knee to outscore the Uruguay goalie. The rebound was then directed on goal by Dominic Adiyiah, however, Suarez once more managed to make the save, this time using both hands.

Suarez’s deliberate handball resulted in an automatic dismissal for him and a penalty for Ghana. Asamoah Gyan of Ghana missed his try at a penalty kick to finish the match and prevent a shootout, and Suarez enjoyed the failure from behind the benches. Uruguay prevailed 4-2 in the penalty shootout to win the quarterfinal.

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The group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar features a match between Ghana and Uruguay, which challenges Luis Suarez against the Black Stars once again. Ghana already has a victory at the FIFA World Cup this year, and as long as South Korea does not beat Portugal, they can advance to the next round by defeating Luis Suarez’s Uruguay.

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