Stephen Dunmoye
Ghana and Uruguay will meet for the second time ever in a decisive Group H clash at the 2022 World Cup on December 2.
If the match is half as eventful as their first meeting 12 years ago it won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
On this occasion Ghana and Uruguay face off with a place in the last 16 on the line. Ghana will progress with a win and perhaps a draw, while Uruguay need a win to have a chance.
NEWSTODAYNG recalled that in 2010, Uruguay defeated Ghana in a dramatic quarter-final that is best remembered for Luis Suarez diving to block a shot on the line and being sent off.
Ghana still feel the pain of the loss and there has been talk of “revenge” in Qatar.
However, Ghana forward Andre Ayew, who is the only remaining player in the current squad from 2010, is looking ahead rather than back.
“I’m the only one who was in the squad when that happened, so the others don’t really know how we felt. Everyone felt bad, but for me I just want to get into the next stage, so it’s not (revenge) for me, no.
“If it was revenge or not, we will go with the same determination and the same desire to win because we want to get into the next stage, so it’s not our revenge. I don’t think so. For me, it’s football. We took a decision. There’s nothing to speak about it. We’re just going to see how we’re going to play versus them and find ways to beat them.”
Ghana coach Otto Addo struck a similar note after the 3-2 win over South Korea.
“I’m not a guy that thinks much of revenge. It was a really, really long time ago that this incident happened and I am a strong believer if you don’t seek too much revenge on these kind of things sometimes you get the blessings.”
Revenge is obviously not a theme for Uruguay.
Their focus should be improvement in attack as they are yet to score a goal in their two matches at the World Cup.
“For us, it’s a different history,” said head coach Diego Alonso.
“They are looking for classification, us too. It has nothing to do with what happened years ago.”
