Black Stars Go Out As Fabulous Forlan Sets Up Dark Horse Semi Showdown With Dutch

The World Cup 2010 saw it’s first epic match as Uruguay stopped Ghana becoming Africa’s first ever semi finalists in the most dramatic fashion as the South American Dark horses just edged into a semi showdown with the fellow dark horses Holland who shocked Brazil earlier in the day.

The quarter final that nobody would have predicted prior to the start of the tournament saw  the greatest finish since the European Cup final win by Manchester United in Barcelona in 1999 as the two produced one of the most entertaining matches of World Cup 2010  as both Uruguay & Ghana played with abandon as they both tried to secure a semi final spot against the Dutch, producing a breathless two hours of football to warm the cockles worldwide from Accra to Montevideo.

The two sides were finally separated by a penalty shootout after Ghana had missed a last gasp penalty as Luis Suarez was red carded & will now miss the semi final.The Uruguyans who hadn’t lit up the tournament since losing to  Brazil in 1970′s  semi final,  started the brighter as the tournamen’ts most dynamic & prolific strike force of the superbly creative Diego Forlan & the lethal Louis Suarez caused the last african nation standing a lot of problems. Both had early chances as the South Americans dominated the opening quarter of the match as Ghana suffered serious stage fright, but as the match started to get into a terrific rhythmn as the possesion ebbed & flowed with the latin salsa beat dominated before the African drumbeat then began to make it’s presence felt.

The statisticians were left with twisted blood as the two sides began to produce identical figures & as the halftim whistle approached the two sides were sharing possesion equally. The deadlock was broken with a thunderbolt strike from Sully Muntari in injury time when he just found a yard & thumped one into the back of the net to bring joy to the entire host continent as the last standard bearers for Africa. The Uruguyans returned after the break with renewed purpose with Forlan now wearing the captain’s armband & starting to pull the strings once again they established temselves once more & the equaliser just had to come & when it did, it was a special strike befitting the huge occassion. Forlan took a free kick from the left of the penalty area & the bal seemed to swerve left & then right as it spun through the air leaving the Ghanain keeper Roger Kinsome  grasping at fresh air as it flew past him & into the far top corner. A great goal from a great player who has been one of the shining stars in the firmanent of this tournament. That the Ghanains had come to this tournament without the peerless Michael  Essien who for many of us is Roy Keane with a tan, they have greatly surprised. The Africans were able to bring on the superb Steven Appiah as the clock ticked down, injury plagued he may be but his footballing brain is still in excellent working order. The two sides seemed destined to go to extra time & that was as it proved with neither giving any quarter to the other. What was expected to be a war of attrition had turned into a joyous celebration of the beautiful game.  Against the USA in the last round the Ghanains had turned on the style but the first period of extra time saw both sides’ tired legs start to show with the Uruguyans just having the better of things. In the second half the ghanaians hit back as a series of excellent tight passes set up Asamoah Gyan but his bullet header was high wide & handsome as the match moved into the final ten minutes. Two minutes later Appiah had a half chance but the excellent Fussili managed to smother the threat & smuggle the ball to safety. It was almost a disasterous case of beam me up for Scotti as he almost put the ball in his own net as the clock ticked down to a penalty shootout. Portsmouth star Kevin Prince Boateng who had one of the games of his life almost nicked it with 90 seconds to go with a snap header which went wide & then the man who faced his own brother  in a group game nearly netted seconds later.

The game finished with a frenzy as Ghana had two shots on goal & then were awarded a penalty as Luis Suarez handballed & was red carded. Asamoah Gyan’s spot kick smacked off the bar & the two sides went to a shootout.

Bob "The Voice" McKenzie Twitter: @BobTheVoice About: