Probably the most dramatic World Cup in current reminiscence has served up one other unbelievable group stage end as South Korea pulled off a miracle escape and Uruguay had its coronary heart damaged.
The South Koreans trailed Group H winner Portugal earlier than scoring in damage time to drag off a 2-1 win. The consequence meant Uruguay was one aim quick in a 2-0 win in opposition to Ghana — and the South People reacted furiously.
“That is loopy, I’ve by no means seen something prefer it,” Craig Foster mentioned within the SBS studio. “Happening to actually the final kick of so many video games, that is simply extraordinary drama.
“This World Cup, it’s simply been completely mad.”
The morning continues with 6am (AEDT) clashes between Cameroon and Brazil, and Serbia and Switzerland.
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4.15am — Uruguay’s ‘unacceptable’ referee assault slammed
Uruguay’s frustration at a pair of penalty claims in its 2-0 win in opposition to Ghana erupted in ugly scenes as its gamers received within the face of the referee and adopted him down the tunnel.
A number of gamers made bodily contact with German official Daniel Siebert and yelled angrily in his face after the South People crashed out of the World Cup regardless of their victory.
Australian commentator and former Socceroo Craig Foster slammed the behaviour.
“It was unhealthy scenes afterwards,” Foster mentioned within the SBS studio. “There’s no want for the Uruguayan gamers to be confronting the referee and pushing and shoving. That stuff is unacceptable, they shouldn’t be doing it.”
“Nevertheless it’s going to occur with excessive feelings,” Mark Bosnich replied.
Giorgian De Arrascaeta netted twice in fast succession within the first half, with 35-year-old Luis Suarez having a hand in each objectives.
Nonetheless, Suarez completed the match on the bench in tears because the information got here in of South Korea’s last-gasp victory over Portugal, which meant the Asian facet had moved above the Uruguayans into second place in Group H on objectives scored.
Veteran striker Suarez had been on the centre of the pre-match build-up due to his notorious handball within the 2010 quarter-finals, which helped get rid of Ghana.
His identify was booed loudly by the Ghana followers when it was learn out by the stadium announcers and he received the identical therapy each time he touched the ball.
He was additionally main the protests when Ghana had been awarded a penalty within the nineteenth minute.
Mohammed Kudus had initially been dominated offside when he was introduced down by Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet however after that call was overturned referee Daniel Siebert gave the spot-kick after checking the pitchside monitor.
However Andre Ayew’s tame effort was simply saved by Rochet and with Ghana’s followers silent in disbelief, Uruguay made them pay.
Darwin Nunez was denied by Mohammed Salisu’s good goalline clearance however within the twenty sixth minute De Arrascaeta nodded in from shut vary after good work from Suarez.
Accumulating a poor cross from the precise which evaded two Ghana defenders, Suarez minimize inside Alidu Seidu and hit a strong low shot that squirmed by way of Lawrence Ati Zigi’s fingers. It was edging in the direction of the aim when De Arrascaeta pounced.
Six minutes later Uruguay gave Ghana a mountain to climb when Arrascaeta hit a chic volley on the finish of excellent workforce transfer, Suarez offering a first-time help from Nunez’s knockdown.
Ghana had been let off the hook by Siebert simply earlier than the hour mark when he dominated that Daniel Amartey had touched the ball whereas tackling Nunez within the space.
That call would change into essential as one other aim would have put Uruguay by way of.
“I believed this on first view this was a penalty,” Bosnich mentioned within the SBS studio post-game.
“On the second view it was shut when it comes to he did get a slight contact of the ball however I believed it was nonetheless a penalty on the second view.”
However Foster disagreed. “It did look a pen as a result of the digicam was so distant, however to me it’s a incredible use of VAR as a result of he will get the ball and once you get the ball, it’s not as if you aren’t allowed to have any contact, however you need to get the ball first,” he mentioned.
Suarez was booed and cheered in equal measure by the gang when he was substituted for Edinson Cavani within the 66th minute.
Ghana struggled to create something in response. The closest they got here to pulling a aim again got here with 9 minutes remaining, when Rochet brilliantly tipped away Kudus’s highly effective low drive.
Uruguay then realised they wanted one other aim and poured ahead however had been unable to search out the breakthrough.
4am — South Korea pull off miracle escape
Substitute Hwang Hee-chan scored the winner in damage time to rescue South Korea from the brink of World Cup elimination in an exciting 2-1 victory over already-qualified Portugal.
The Wolverhampton Wanderers’ ahead slipped within the winner within the 91st minute in Qatar to spark delirium and tears among the many Korean followers.
Talisman Son Heung-min, who arrange the winner, collapsed to the ground and lay on his again on the turf on the last whistle. He had tears in his eyes.
The Korean gamers then stood in a huddle on the pitch watching the Ghana v Uruguay match on a cell phone as they awaited their place within the final 16 to be confirmed.
A much-changed Portugal had taken a fifth-minute lead by way of Ricardo Horta however the Koreans, who needed to win to face any likelihood of staying alive, hit again within the twenty seventh minute by way of Kim Younger-gwon.
Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo performed an element within the Korean equaliser, turning his again on a nook and the ball hitting him to arrange Kim.
South Korea and their skipper Son, in a masks after current surgical procedure, wanted to attain once more however they failed to actually bother Portugal till Son arrange Hwang in damage time after a fantastic run.
Earlier than a ball was even kicked a roar went up at Training Metropolis Stadium each time Ronaldo’s face popped up on the large display screen, even throughout the nationwide anthems. There have been some jeers too and chants of “Messi, Messi”.
South Korea coach Paulo Bento, the previous Portuguese worldwide, needed to watch from the stands after he was despatched off following the ultimate whistle of the Koreans’ 3-2 defeat to Ghana.
He noticed his males fall behind after simply 5 minutes when defender Pepe performed the ball down the precise to Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot.
Dalot simply evaded a weak Korean problem and pulled the ball again from the byline for winger Horta to fireside unmarked into the again of the online in entrance of a 44,000 crowd.
With qualification already safe, Portugal made six adjustments from the workforce that beat Uruguay 2-0, Dalot and Horta amongst these purchased in.
However they nonetheless seemed harmful each time they went ahead within the first half in opposition to a Korean defence lacking Napoli’s Kim Min-jae.
South Korean skipper Son, the Spurs ahead, was but to get going at this World Cup after surgical procedure for a fracture round his left eye at the beginning of November.
Sporting a black masks to guard the wound, the 30-year-old confirmed glimpses of his good greatest as South Korea chased the win they so badly wanted.
South Korea had been threatening to get on prime and within the twenty seventh minute they had been stage.
The 37-year-old Ronaldo, certainly enjoying at his final World Cup, unwittingly performed a central function within the South Korean aim.
Presently and not using a membership after his bitter departure from Manchester United, the ahead turned his again on a Korean nook and the ball hit his shoulder and fell straight to defender Kim to show in.
The second half was extra of the identical — Portugal having fun with extra possession and stroking the ball round however South Korea and an more and more influential Son a menace on the break.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos introduced Ronaldo off on 65 minutes to avoid wasting his legs, then attacker Hwang got here on and proved to be the hero on the loss of life.
— with AFP
