There was drama at the FIFA World Cup on Friday, when Uruguay narrowly fell out of the playoffs. South Korea took second place behind Portugal thanks to the goals scored in the top 16. Uruguay and South Korea had four points at the end of the group stage. The goal difference in all the teams’ games was the same, i.e. zero. However, Uruguay scored only two goals while South Korea managed to score four times.
So a 2-0 win over Ghana was not enough for Uruguay, when South Korea defeated Portugal 2-1.
In the Ghana match, we saw agitated behavior from Uruguay several times.
Ghana missed a penalty kick in the first period. The comma given through the video review caused quite a bit of trouble, which the jury had to sort out. The situation also resulted in a yellow card for Uruguay For Darwin Nuñezwhich gave an example of a “game within a game” in penalty kick situations.
Nuñez was the referee on the outer edge of the crowded ring by Daniel Siebert investigating the situation. Nuñez stared at the penalty spot and suddenly stomped on it with his foot, trying to avoid the attention of the Ghanaian players. The goal was to make the shot more difficult by damaging the grass at the point.
The Ghanaians saw this and pushed Nuñez further away. Nuñez received a yellow card for his corner.
– This has become a clear phenomenon. A penalty kick during the game is increasingly a team effort. The defending team tries to break the penalty spot, confuse the shooters, cause interference and delay the shot. Research has shown that the longer it takes to shoot, the more likely it is to fail, Urheilu’s expert Jonne Kunnas pointed out.
of Ghana Andre Ayew was allowed to shoot only more than two minutes after Siebert had pointed his finger at the penalty kick. Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet saved the shot.
– Even the shooting team has its own methods. They try to hide the penalty kicker, protect him from confusion and also protect the spot of the shot. Even in these games, there have been situations where the attacking team forms a ring around the penalty spot as protection, Kunnas said.
The TV pictures also showed how Uruguay’s star player Federico Valverde aired the failed penalty kick mockingly in front of Siebert.
Even after the final whistle of the match, the Uruguayans rushed to Siebert. The Uruguayans apparently protested at least that Edinson Cavani after the fall, a penalty kick was not whistled in extra time of the match.
For Cavan and For Jose Gimenez yellow cards were given. The match officials had to protect the referees from Uruguay’s rage, until they had to leave the fiery situation suddenly to the dressing room. An expert at ‘s commentary Markus Halsti criticized the actions of the Uruguayans.
– Now it’s pointless from the Uruguayans. I don’t understand what they are doing now. Uruguayans can look at themselves in the mirror. They became passive in the second half. They maybe expected Ghana to come stronger and started counter-attacking through the defense. However, they were not received. Only two goals were scored with that attacking and midfield equipment. It is little, Halsti stated.
Also in the western neighbor, experts from the Swedish public broadcasting company SVT were strict about the behavior of the Uruguayan players.
– Emotions overwhelmed me. You have to find limits to this, former top judge Jonas Eriksson demanded.
– You can see that there is a lot of frustration with the referee, but Uruguay can only blame themselves, Markus Johannesson stated.
Daniel Nannskog in turn took a stand on Nuñez’s act.
– It was really disgusting. That doesn’t belong in football, Nannskog teased.
Ghana’s defender misses penalties on the Uruguayans
Of the defenders of Ghana Daniel Amartey was also warm about the behavior of the Uruguayan players.
– We know they are like that. They should be punished for that because you have to respect the rules, Amartey said Swedish newspaper Expressen. (you switch to another service)
Amartey’s criticism also got its own Luis Suarez. When Ghana and Uruguay met in the memorable 2010 World Cup quarter-final, Suarez saved Uruguay from the goal with his hand. Ghana got a penalty kick for Suarez’s foul, which was missed.
Amartey criticized Suarez’s actions even during the day’s game.
– We know that Uruguay tries to influence the judges. Like, for example, Suarez, who falls at the slightest touch, Amartey stated.
However, Amartey denied that the events of 12 years ago still cause bitterness.
– No no. Now there are no longer the same people in the dressing room as in 2010. We are a new generation, Amartey stated.
Ghana’s head coach Otto Addo was much calmer than Amartey in his comments, and did not want to speculate on Uruguay’s fury after the final whistle. According to Expressen, Addo was content to say that the referee was good.
Addo also announced that he will now step down as Ghana’s head coach.
– I had already said before that I would resign after the World Cup, even if we had won the world championship, Addo stated.