- July 2, 2010, marked one of the happiest moments for Ghana football faithful, and it was also the sourest; a cocktail of a game really.
- The 2010 Suarez handball saga remains one of the most talked about and controversial moments in World Cup history.
Ghana’s Chef de Mission for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham believes the country could have gone on to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup if it was not for Luis Suarez’s famous handball.
July 2, 2010, marked one of the happiest moments for Ghana football faithful, and it was also the sourest; a cocktail of a game really, which had everything – from quality to diverse emotions on offer.
After a Sulley Muntari strike from over 30 yards, the Black Stars were locked in a stalemate with Uruguay, following Diego Forlan’s equalizer from a freekick. But Ghana had history staring them right in the face and was a penny close to rewriting football’s legends.
In the final minute of extra time, the Black Stars had a last-gasp opportunity to win the game.
The reality, though, is Ghana didn’t win. A handball by Luis Suarez stopped a certain goalbound shot deep into injury time, in one of the most controversial and memorable moments of that tournament. Suarez was sent off – but Ghana missed the resulting spot-kick and, ultimately, went out on penalties after extra time.
Frederick Acheampong, who is also an Executive Committee member of the Ghana Football Association, will get to see his country lock horns with Suarez’s Uruguay again after they were drawn together in the group stage for this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
It remains one of the most talked about and controversial moments in World Cup history.
Poetic justice or karma? Call it whatever you want but for twelve long years, many Ghanaians have cried foul – they literally did the same in-game, and cursed Suarez for that handball in the 2010 World Cup.
Asamoah Gyan missed the most decisive penalty to give Ghana an advantage; Photo/Daily Mail
“What happened in South Africa in June 2010 is on the mind of every Ghanaian football-loving fan,” Acheampong said.
“We thought that was a great opportunity for Ghana and Africa to stake a claim for the World Cup.
“We believed that we would have made the semi-final, and who knows the final, and possibly even winning it, Africa winning it for the first time.
Recall that eventful day when Painstil, hands on waist and feet apart, delivered a peach into Uruguay’s 18-yard box, a prowling Kevin Prince-Boateng flicked on with Muslera desperately hitting the air in a failed attempt to swat the ball away from the area.
Suarez was suspended after the handball that costed Ghana World Cup; Photo/Goal
The Black Stars were so close, yet so far as the ball bounced in the six-yard-box of a goal post abandoned by Muslera. Organized chaos best describes the events which followed.
A first swipe was taken at the ball by Stephen Appiah, but was repelled on the line by deputizing goalkeeper, Luis Suarez – incredibly, as the commentator’s voice peaked at that moment.
“That particular handball, I think it broke a lot of hearts here in Ghana and across Africa in general.” Acheampong said.
Acheampong, the treasurer of the Ghana Olympic Committee, is due to oversee a record team of 97 athletes at Birmingham 2022.
“I’m sure it will be an interesting game when Ghana meets up with Uruguay in Qatar,” he added.
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