Ghana 0-2 Uruguay
Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored twice in six first-half minutes as a resurgent Uruguay beat Ghana 2-0 in the World Cup on Friday only to crash out of the tournament agonisingly after South Korea’s shock win over Portugal.
In Group H deciders that went right down to the wire, Uruguay had one foot in the last 16 before South Korea scored in stoppage time and go through by virtue of scoring one goal more than the South Americans over their three matches.
Uruguay had left themselves with a mountain to climb, with their cast of big-name strikers unable to find the net in their opening games, leading to their first group-stage exit in two decades.
“Without doubt, we did everything we could. We paid dear,” said De Arrascaeta, who was in the starting lineup at the World Cup for the first time.
“We are sad because we left our all in this game, we scored goals and the outcome didn’t depend on us, it left us out.”
Veteran striker Luis Suarez, playing in his fourth World Cup, was also recalled to the team as captain and was instrumental in both of the goals. At the final whistle, he was inconsolable on the bench after Uruguay’s fate was sealed.
With South Korea tied with Portugal late in their match and Uruguay two goals up, the South American side looked almost certain to go through before the pendulum swung agonisingly in the direction of South Korea.
Uruguay battled desperately for the decisive goals, with Ferderico Valverde going close with a volley from outside the area and Maxi Gomex having his shot saved by keeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi two minutes from time.
