From Asamoah Gyan to André Ayew: Ghana’s penalties and drama against Uruguay

Uruguay vs. Ghana in the World Cups is written from the penalty point. If in 2010 we lived through Asamoah Gyan’s shot to the crossbar, in Qatar 2022 history was ‘repeated’ with the shooting of andre ayew that Sergio Rochet saved.

And it is that all this Friday has been remembered that historic scene of Gyan missing his shot in the 120th minute of the quarterfinals against Uruguay in South Africa 2010, after the hand of Luis Suárez to avoid the goal in the last play.

It was the shot that defined the pass to the semifinals. Ghana could be the first African country to break into the top four, but Asamoah missed the penalty.

The crossbar denied it. Then, the game went to a penalty shoot-out and there the Charrúas grew bigger and won in the definition, with Sebastián Abreu scoring the final shot. Total madness for Uruguayans.

In Qatar the sensations were repeated again. Uruguay vs. Ghana meet on the last date of group H. The one who wins qualifies for the round of 16. And a penalty was the protagonist again.

Barely in the 20th minute, Sergio Rochet committed a penalty that was sanctioned by VAR and André Ayew was in charge of the shot. It was Ghana’s chance to get ahead on the scoreboard and put the qualification on track.

But Rochet became a giant and stopped the shot by diving to his left hand. With a clean sheet, Uruguay keeps their hope of qualifying alive.

André Ayew repeated those old nightmares. In South Africa he couldn’t be in that match against Uruguay, but he was part of the team that suffered that scene of penalties. Now it was his turn to be the protagonist.

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