Call it cheating. Call it crafty. Call it what you will but Luis Suarez's handball started a miraculous turn of events which have led to Uruguay making the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time since 1970.
Suarez, so often the hero for club and country, found himself in the wrong goalmouth as Ghana pressed for a late winner. At first, he blocked a goal-bound shot with his knees but then decided to make matters into his own hands, literally, to stop a certain goal and a certain winner.
Asamoah Gyan, who had scored two penalties already in the competition, stepped up hoping to cement his place in Ghanaian history by scoring the goal to send the Black Stars into the semi-finals but it was not to be as his effort hit the crossbar and went over, to the dismay of those inside Soccer City and the continent of Africa.
It was, no doubt, a pressure penalty but considering Gyan had scored a late winner in extra time against America six days previous to this clash as well as scoring a penalty in the dying minutes against Serbia in the group stages, you would have fancied the frontman to bury it but the occasion, it seems, was too much to handle.
Suarez will now miss the semi-final against the Netherlands in Cape Town on Tuesday night but, on the face of things, it is a small sacrifice worth making as Uruguay are now guaranteed at least 4th place in the World Cup though the winners of the inaugural competition will be hoping for better than that, no doubt.
It was a decision that will leave Ghana feeling hard done by but rules are rules and Gyan still had the chance to end the game with the penalty but it was he who paid the ultimate price as the fall guy as opposed to those who missed in the shoot-out.
Uruguay will face a difficult test against the Netherlands, especially without Suarez, who was scoring for fun in the Dutch league last season, bagging an incredible 49 goals for Ajax. The Uruguayans will still have Diego Forlan, who is just as dangerous as Suarez. A statement proven by his superb equaliser for La Celeste as well as a brace against hosts South Africa.
Gyan showed incredible bravery to step up and take Ghana's first penalty of the shoot-out following his miss. To his credit it was a superb penalty, but in reality, it should never have come down to a shoot-out following Suarez's red card. It was clear how much Gyan was hurt by his miss as the tears flooded from the 24 year-old at the end of the shoot-out with no comfort from team-mates being enough to stop the waterworks.
Ghana can be proud of their efforts, being the best African side in the first African World Cup but will be left to reflect on what might have been whilst Uruguay progress into the semi-finals looking to make history once again.
