World Cup Ghana v Uruguay tips: Black Stars looking to have last laugh over Suarez
- Sergiu Baltuta
- 2 December 2022
Ghana look set to end twelve years of hurt in Friday's clash with Uruguay, and Tipstrr football expert Sergiu Baltuta expects their natural attacking game to lay their bitter memories of 2010 to rest.
Ghana and Uruguay meet in a decisive game that sees them jostling with South Korea for the right to join Portugal in the next round.
The state of play in Group H is such that if South Korea fail to beat Portugal by two goals or more, then Ghana will qualify with a draw. Top spot seems out of reach since Portugal have a far superior goal difference, and will no doubt do everything they can to get the draw they need to avoid Brazil in the next round.
Nothing but a win will be enough for Uruguay, however, and that might be enough on its own if South Korea fail to beat Portugal. However, should Portugal lose, then the Uruguayans will need to find their scoring boots as they would then require a minimum of three goals to edge above South Korea on goal difference.
There has been no shortage of goalmouth action in Ghana's two previous group games, which saw them finish on either end of a 3-2 scoreline.
In the first game against Portugal all the goals came in the last 30 minutes, with the Africans cancelling out Cristiano Ronaldo's contentious penalty, only to concede twice more in quick succession, before Bukari made it 3-2 late on.
Four days later against South Korea, Ghana were cruising to take a 2-0 lead into the break, but two quick South Korean goals levelled things up before Mohammed Kudus was Ghana's saviour, notching his second goal to earn a deserved 3-2 victory.
Ghana are likely to keep the same attacking line-up that started against South Korea, and will be hungry to avenge the bitter memory of that 2010 exit with more goals.
Uruguay, meanwhile, have no option but to look for goals, so we could be in for an entertaining match at both ends.
The two teams infamously met at the same stage in South Africa, and Ghanaians have not forgotten (nor forgiven) Luis Suarez notoriously handling on the line to deny Ghana's winning goal in the last minute of extra time.
He was red-carded, but Ghana missed the resultant penalty, and subsequently went out on penalties while Suarez did not try to hide jubilation from the sidelines.
Uruguay have not lost their final World Cup group game since 1974, but they need to do more than just avoid defeat on Friday afternoon.
A forward line boasting the talents of Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani and Darwin Nunez has so far drawn a blank in two ineffective and largely toothless performances that have brought just four shots on target.
Suarez is sure to receive a hostile reception from the Ghanaian fans after his exploits in South Africa, but he is likely to start on the bench, from where he and Edinson Cavani have alternated positions, each replacing the other in the first two games.
With Nunez over due a goal, however, head coach Diego Alonso might also be tempted to use his two 35-year-olds in tandem, as he reverts to a more attacking formation for this must-win game.
Uruguay have been disappointing so far, but football is a funny games, so what are the chances of pantomime villain Suarez having the last laugh by breaking Ghana's hearts with a decisive goal?
