Heartbreak for Ghana as Uruguay wins on penalties

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Nothing, it seemed, would go in for Ghana.

Not the shot kicked away at the goal line. Not the block ruled a handball an instant later as extra time ticked to a close. Not the subsequent penalty kick that surefooted Asamoah Gyan sent bouncing straight up off the crossbar.

And not two more tries in the shootout as Uruguay, suddenly still alive, made four kicks and won the match, 4-2, Friday night after a 1-1 draw. The South Americans were headed to the World Cup semifinals for the first time in 40 years.

The Ghanaians were headed home in tears.

"It's hard luck. You know, we had opportunity to win this game," Gyan said, "but unfortunately, that is football for you."

With time running out, a scramble in front of the Uruguay net caught goalkeeper Fernando Muslera out of position. A shot by Ghana was kicked away on the goal line by Luis Suarez. Then, Dominic Adiyiah's header was cleared off the goal line by Suarez - using his arm. That drew an immediate red card for the striker, who will miss the semifinal, and sent Gyan to the penalty spot.

As Gyan calmly placed the ball in front of him in the final seconds of extra time, all he needed to do was send it past Muslera - and that would have sent the Black Stars into the semifinals, an African first at the World Cup.

Child's play for Gyan, who twice in the tournament had scored on a penalty kick. He stared down Muslera, then stroked the ball solidly.

Just as solidly, it hit the crossbar. Gyan stumbled away holding his head.

Victories - and defeats - don't come any tougher than this.

"To be among the four best [teams] in the world, there are no words for that," Uruguay star striker Diego Forlan said. "We felt we were going to faint with each penalty."

Rather than faint, Uruguay pounced on an almost unimaginable second chance.

After the shootout moved to 3-2 for Uruguay, Muslera guessed correctly, diving left for an easy save on John Mensah.

After Maximiliano Pereira's kick skied over the net for Uruguay, the vuvuzelas again were at their loudest.

But Muslera also stopped Dominic Adiyiah, and Sebastian Abreu won it with a soft but accurate placement as goalie Richard Kingson dived right.