What Ghana star Amartey told team-mates during Uruguay World Cup game

England fans preview World Cup last 16 tie against Senegal

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Ghana defender Daniel Amartey urged his team-mates to take Uruguay out of the World Cup with them as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against the South Americans. There remains bitterness on the Ghanaian side for the way they were knocked out of the 2010 World Cup by Uruguay. 

Twelve years ago, Luis Suarez handled on the goalline to prevent Ghana the goal that would have put them in the semi-final. Liverpool hero Suarez was dismissed but Ghana squandered the resultant penalty and Uruguay went through via a penalty shootout. 

The two countries met again in the final group game of Qatar 2022, with both in with a chance of qualifying for the first knockout round. But South Korea’s 92nd-minute winner against Portugal in Group H’s other clash meant Ghana and Uruguay both went out, despite a 2-0 victory for the latter. 

Amartey has now said he told his team-mates that if they go out, they had to make sure Uruguay did too. The Leicester defender said: “I just told my teammates: ‘We need a goal but they also need a goal. So we have to defend for ourselves so that if we can’t go, they don’t go’.”

JUST IN: Aboubakar high fives ref after being sent off for Brazil celebration

Amartey was asked if it was important for Ghana to deny Uruguay a place in the last 16 due to the history between the two nations at the tournament. He responded: “For me, yes.

“It was tough because you can see their centre back, everybody comes (forward).

“Uruguay needed one goal to go through but you can see we defended four against five or three against two but we managed to defend.”

Uruguay were furious with referee Daniel Siebert for not awarding them at least one penalty. Darwin Nunez and Edinson Canvani both appealed for spot-kicks – but German official Siebert refused to award a penalty. 

DON’T MISS…
‘We need to improve on last time’ says determined Stones pre-Senegal
Brazil boss Tite has a problem with six players after Cameroon defeat
Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag is rare winner from Uruguay World Cup exit

Players surrounded Siebert at the final whistle, with Cavani and Jose Gimenez both booked. Boss Diego Alonso said: “For 80 minutes we were qualified. We had many chances to win it but in the end it wasn’t possible. 

“Of course the emotional side was important but we had to fight to qualify. We had four or five chances but in the end it just wasn’t possible.”

It meant that South Korea and Portugal both advanced to the next round. Uruguay striker Suarez was seen in tears as full-time approached, with the 35-year-old knowing this is likely his last chance to play at a World Cup. 

Source: Read Full Article