The prize was a Cape Town semi-final against the Netherlands, who had earlier that afternoon defeated Brazil to widespread cheers in the press room. The world’s foremost footballing country brings the most journalists and Brazil’s exit meant that those self-interested hacks still in South Africa had a good chance of being at the final a week later. Gyan missed his penalty, crashing it against the crossbar. He had clearly been distracted by the lengthy delay as Uruguay – ludicrously – protested the innocence of Suárez.
The climax to the 120 minutes made the night unforgettable. Fine goals were scored by Sulley Muntari and Diego Forlán, but it was not a classic, in keeping with much of the fare on show during those 31 days. Luis Suárez’s handball, and the subsequent penalty drama, meant it ended up as a tale of the bad guys running off into the sunset, chortling at their ill-gotten gains. Asamoah Gyan reacts after missing his last-gasp penalty kick. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesSoccer City, a monstrous carbuncle looming over Soweto, was the venue.
Uruguay vs. Ghana FIFA 2010 World Cup Live Blog