Losing can't be any crueler than it was for Ghana at the World Cup.
On the verge of becoming African history-makers one second, losers the next. Ghana's squad, the youngest of this World Cup, came so close to becoming the first African team to play in a World Cup semifinal. That only made its quarter-final loss Friday to Uruguay sting even more. The vuvuzelas choked into silence. Only Uruguayans couldn't share Ghana's pain.
In the very last minute of extra time, Dominic Adiyiah headed what should have been the winner for Ghana. The ball, without a shadow of doubt, was going in.
But Uruguay forward Luis Suarez got in the way — with both hands. Like a volleyballer, he swatted it away on the line.
"I think I made the best save of the World Cup," Suarez said later, unabashed.
Was it the hand of God?
"No, the hand of Suarez," he said.
Portuguese referee Olegario Benquerenca didn't hesitate. Out came the red card. Suarez, off. Penalty for Ghana.
Asamoah Gyan stepped up to take the shot. The hugely self-confident forward already scored two other penalties at this World Cup — against Serbia and Australia in the group stages. Put this one past 'keeper Fernando Muslera and Ghana would advance to a semifinal against the Netherlands, buoyed by support from the entire African continent.
Gyan's shot thwacked off the crossbar. He bit hard on the collar of his red and yellow jersey as though to silence a scream or avoid being sick.
That was the last kick of the match.
Next: penalty shootout to decide a winner and loser from the two teams level at one goal each.
Muslera saved penalties from Ghana's last two penalty takers, John Mensah and Adiyah. Ghana's World Cup was finished. Two-time champion Uruguay will play its first semifinal match since 1970.
Gyan was inconsolable. He wept in the arms of a teammate.
An hour or so later, deep in the stadium's belly, Ghana's players filed past reporters, heading for their bus. Some were lost in the bubble of headphones. Others stared blankly ahead. Most didn't stop. Gyan, reluctantly, did. There was sadness in his eyes but he looked remarkably composed.
"I've nothing to say, you know? It's part of the game," Gyan said.
In his opinion, Adiyiah's header should have been given.
"The ball went in, it did cross the line, and the referee disallowed it," he said. "If it was our day, the referee would have seen it and whistled as a goal. Everything is hard luck."
Of Suarez, Gyan added philosophically: "He's the hero now in his country because the ball was going in and he held it with his hand and unfortunately I missed the penalty, and they've come back and they've won ... But football is like that."
Suarez showed no remorse. He was just happy to have stopped what would have been the sure winner for Ghana.
"It's difficult to be sent off at a World Cup, it's complicated. But the way in which I was sent off today — truth is, it was worth it."
With a squad with an average age of just 24 years and nine months, Ghana will get other chances.
Not that that was any consolation.
"We were so close to making it," defender John Pantsil said. "It was very, very painful."
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