Uruguay star striker Luis Suarez says he doesn’t regret his deliberate handball which denied Ghana what would have been a historic World Cup semi-final spot in South Africa 12 years ago.
The Black Stars of Ghana, at the only World Cup finals hosted on African soil, in South Africa in 2010, were seconds away from becoming the first ever African country to book a place in the semi-finals of the global spectacle.
With the contest reaching the closing stages of extra time, tied at 1-1, with Uruguayans pinned in their own half, Stephen Appiah’s goal-bound shot was cleared off the line by Suarez, with his knee.
Dominic Adiyiah then headed the rebound goal wards, and Suarez once again made the block, but this time with his hands.
He was sent off and the Black Stars were awarded a penalty.
Africa waited as Asamoah Gyan stepped up, carrying the weight of the entire continent on his shoulders, but his effort from 12 yards crashed against the crossbar.
Suarez celebrated the miss wildly and the game went to a penalty shootout, with Ghana losing in the lottery
It was a tail with a cruel twist, as Uruguay booked their first World Cup semi-final since 1970, at the expense of Africa, thanks to Suarez, but the former Barcelona has no regrets and isn’t apologetic.
“I don’t apologize about that, I took the handball but the Ghana player (Gyan) missed the penalty, not me,” Suarez told the media ahead of the two sides’ decisive meeting in Group H tomorrow.
“Maybe I would apologize if I had injured a player, but I took the red card, and the referee gave a penalty so it’s not my fault,” added Suarez.
Uruguay specifically chose Suarez for press conference duty ahead of tomorrow’s crucial clash, which the South Americans desperately need to win to brighten their chances of progressing to the knockout stages.
