Africans all over Africa and the world are tremendously disappointed at Ghanas unceremonious defeat against Uruguay. To say we feel robbed is an understatement.There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that Ghana were cheated out of the World Cup. As Dominic Adiyiah headed the ball goalwards in the final second of extra time in their quarter-final against Uruguay on Friday night, the Black Stars appeared destined for glory. The ball’s trajectory insisted that they were to become Africa’s first representative ever to reach the competition’s semi-final. Then Uruguay’s Luis Suarez stuck out a hand and palmed the certain goal away. Which wasn’t really on, since he was not the goalkeeper.[pullquote]I made the best save of the tournament.
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The referee spotted the infringement and awarded Ghana a penalty, as well as sending Suarez off.
His handball with the score at 1-1 gave Ghana a penalty in the last minute of extra-time but Asamoah Gyan sent his spot-kick crashing off the crossbar to give the Uruguayans a reprieve which they exploited by winning a penalty shoot-out. Suarez’s basketball moment proved that, ultimately, cheats prosper.
Many of the 84,000-strong crowd were incensed as they saw Ghana’s romantic dream of becoming the first African team to reach the semi-final shattered before witnessing Uruguay’s Suárez being carried shoulder high from the pitch.
Suárez made matters worse by echoing Diego Maradona’s triumphant boast after his handball goal downed England in 1986.
“The ‘Hand of God’ now belongs to me,” he said. “I made the best save of the tournament.
“There was no alternative for me. This was the end of the World Cup and when I saw Gyan miss the penalty it was a great joy. I thought ‘it is a miracle’. We were still alive.
“The way in which I was sent off today was worth it.”
Fifa considered extending Suárez’s one-match ban but, having reviewed the incident, it decided it did not merit more punishment, which means Suárez could still play in the World Cup final if Uruguay beat Holland in the semi-final in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Should Uruguay beat Holland and make it to next Sunday’s final, the return of Suárez might cause embarrassment for Fifa, as its fair play code states: “Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure.”
Fifa spokesman Pekka Odriozola said Fifa’s disciplinary code gave the committee the option of a longer ban for ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’.
Uruguayan officials were forced to defend themselves against accusations of cheating and cynicism by an angry host nation.
“It is not fair to say we cheated our way to victory,” protested Uruguay coach Óscar Tabárez.
“It was instinctive. He misses the next game and has paid for the consequences.”
But Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac described it as “really shocking. A football injustice”.
Gyan was adamant that Adiyiah’s header had crossed the line before Portuguese referee Olegário Benquerenca awarded the spot kick.
“The ball went in, it did cross the line,” he said, despite video evidence to the contrary. “If it was our day, the referee would have seen it and whistled as a goal.
“I would say Suárez is a hero now in his own country, because the ball was going in and he held it with his hand. He is a hero now.”
[Telegraph]
This guy sounds like Chiluba the liar.
“The Hand of God”.
God made him do it then God is a cheater too.
FIFA rules are very relaxed. This is fraud at its best! Ghana was denied the chance they really deserved. Is FIFA going to continue with such lenient measures? I think the best they can do if such a thing happens is to send off the offender and still award the goal.
I feel so sad, I will never forget what that guy did to Ghana and the rest of Africa. God will punish his team, they will be defeated in their next match and will never walk with their heads high.I’m so proud of Ghana and to me they are the real winners of that match
:((:((:(( Suarez you’ve robbed Africa of joy in this world cup on African soil. I am so sad I can’t believe it..Ghana you made us proud.well played ..just please improve on penalty kicks.you can’t score a penalty by taking two steps back naimwe!
Despite what is being expressed in this article Ghana had every opportunity to win the match but failed because they are poor at taking penalties and have to seriously work on that. As the rules of the game currently stand the referee’s decisions were spot-on. They say, ‘football is a cruel sport’.
Rugby rules are better! If someone cheats like this, they give a ‘TRY’. Meaning even if you miss the penalty you still get awarded a goal. The same should be extended to football, otherwise these HANDS OF A god will always creep in!
The black stars made Ghana and the whole Africa proud with their fabulaous performance. They won that came but as always, mafias are still holding on to what dually belongs to black muntu. soccer has never been spared from the imperial hitman. Only Gay scott, Given Rasheed Lubinda and Michael Sata the tools of imperialism among us appreciate what the mafia did to that game. the self decolonization is an ongoing struggle transcending economics, soccer, culture and politics. They keep shoving everything they can’t take on muntu.
If I were Suarez I would have done the same. Uruguay was hungry for a win and they did get it. The guy (Suarez) was given a red card and a penalty was awarded What more do you want?. Gyan missed the penalty and the story should end there. Why do Africans love to complain so much?
That fool Called Suare.**** ..is a ****ed up
Suarez handled the ball and he was punished for it(case closed). There is, therefore, no case of cheating here. Ghana simply failed to score the awarded penalty. This is a classic case of “sembe Suarez sana gwile” translated to mean “if only Suarez didnt handle the ball” which as most people know is not useful!
#7 Senior Citizen,
How does imperialism, Sata etc.. come into this?
#8 and #10 you have hit the nail on the head.
the white are racist and they will remain so until Jesus comes,.Ghana won the match and every one knows so. the ref is white that all. :o
#8 Dalitso – Oh, the Americans and the English are still complaining. Your last statement is a blanket statement that has no basis.
Number 1 Ukutumpa.
If the ref had not seen the hand ball, then we could be talking. But the penalty was given, and it was not converted. Ghana lost. Cheating did not win, but Ghana lost. If that penalty had gone in, we would not be talking about the hand ball.
|Every game has its rules and that includes football. Ghana were awarded a penaulty and the offender was red-carded. Gyan missed the penaulty – hard-luck but that’s football my friends. All the same…thumbs up to Ghana.
DOUBLE PENALTY RULE!
Just a few hours ago, I felt and suggested with a fiend that rules in the penalty box should be made stricter. Please Fifa, we need your guidance in this but it’s not that difficult to understand and implement really. Instead of having such behaviour repeat itself, we can put an end to such conduct for the following reasons:
1. The probability of scoring along the line of the goal is higher than scoring the penalty therefore:
2. The penalty gives the offenders a higher chance to redeem themselves than the penalty takers. The idea is to implement fair play. What is a red card and penalty given, if the offenders still survive a SINGLE penalty which is basically unpredictable
3. The new rule should therefore state that: any player who handles the ball in the goal…
Double penalty rule continued………….
mouth should not just be banned for more than one match but his team should be punished with having to face a double penalty shoot out. Far fetched as this may sound it’s a closer walk to justice. A penalty spot gives the ‘cheated’ team a 0.5 chance of scoring which is unfair considering that a sure goal had just denied them through cheating or misconduct!
4. Therefore should the first penalty be scored, there would be no need to take the second one unless the first is missed. Should the second be missed as well, then it ends that way, at least justice is more eminent in such a set up.
This is to deter would be offenders and the likelihood of a disapointing result especialy an undeserved eviction but the rule should simply protect…
Double penalty rule continued………….
For those who may be disputing my logic….think of this, if a robber is caught together with what he stole, won’t he be punished in a caught of law despite having the stolen stuff recovered from him (assuming it is recovered)?
Offenses differ in nature, some need stricter punishment, a red card is not enough in a case like Ghana’s. The probability has been reduced already from ‘sure goal’ to a 50% chance and this is my point of contention. For sure that needs consideration, the double penalty rule would make sense but off course under restricted circumstances…….thanks for your patient reading all….God bless and remember-no stress, life goes on but rules should be re-evaluated still.
soccer is a disgraceful sport, cheats all over, players diving all over the field, stalling for time, faking injuries to get a red card for the opposing team, just disgusting
Can,t wait for the start of the real football season in the fall, soccer is for girly men.
Go Redskins