Uruguay win Ghana grudge match but exit World Cup.Giorgian de Arrascaeta scores first-half double for victory.Andre Ayew penalty saved by Sergio Rochet when game was goalless.
Crestfallen Uruguay tumbled out of the World Cup despite beating Ghana in a gripping contest at Al Janoub Stadium. Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored twice in six first-half minutes after goalkeeper Sergio Rochet saved Andre Ayew’s tame penalty.
And with the meeting between South Korea and Portugal apparently destined for a draw, the Uruguayans’ first win in Qatar looked sufficient for a Round of 16 place. But Hwang Heechan struck for Korea in time added on to move the Asians above Uruguay by dint of goals scored.
Uruguay seized control of this game after Rochet atoned for a foul on Mohammed Kudus by springing to his left to keep out Ayew’s tame strike from 12 yards.
Mohammed Salisu brilliantly cleared off the line after Darwin Nunez dinked an attempt over Lawrence Ati-Zigi. But keeper Ati-Zigi was beaten soon after. He got a strong hand to Suarez’s initial attempt but the ball squirted through for De Arrascaeta to nod into an open goal. The forward scored his second with a volley drilled under Ati-Zigi following a tremendous pass out of a crowd scene from Suarez.
Ghana staged a rally of sorts after the break. Osman Bukari and Antoine Semenyo missed the target from good positions and Rochet got down quickly to repel Kudus’s 20-yard strike. For Uruguay, Facundo Pellistri was narrowly wide from inside the box and Ati-Zigi beat out a long ranger from Federico Valverde.
Those missed opportunities didn’t seem costly, until Hwang set up a frantic but ultimately futile pursuit of the third goal Uruguay needed to advance.
De Arrascaeta is the third Uruguayan player to score twice in the first half of a World Cup match after Peregrino Anselmo (against Yugoslavia in 1930) and Óscar Míguez (against Bolivia in 1950). On both those occasions, Uruguay went on to win the tournament.
Player of the Match:Giorgian de Arrascaeta
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