Villain Suarez now hero in Uruguay

Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan will never forgive himself for letting down his country and the entire African continent. Personally, I don’t forgive him either. What was he thinking when he took the first step to take that penalty in the last few seconds of normal time? Was he even aware of the remaining time? Did he think of the fact that a goal from that spot-kick was not only going to give his team the win but also enter Ghana into the history books of world football, particularly the World Cup? Assuming he did, what really went wrong? I doubt he has the answer but the bottom line is, Ghana and Africa missed a great opportunity to make World Cup history. So, what next? I believe nothing much other than waiting for another opportunity to come along. When that will be, only time will tell, except if you squeezed an answer from me, I’d say not in the foreseeable future, but I hope I’m wrong. Friday’s quarter-final game between Ghana and Uruguay will go down as probably one of the most dramatic endings for a game in World Cup history, Uruguay barely survived in Soccer City, the venue for the final on July 11. The game had its moments, but it went to extra time. Ghana were the better side for most part of the game and could have won it had Gyan not decided against becoming Ghana’s newest hero when he smashed his last minute penalty against the crossbar. Football could be a beautiful game but it is also a cruel sport and will cause heartache as the Black Stars and most fans across the African continent can now readily testify. Had it not been for the heroics of one man: Luis Suarez, it would be Ghana and not Uruguay to face the Netherlands in the semi-final. Suarez sacrificed himself for the cause of his country and will forever be a hero in the eyes of his countrymen. He saved a goal-bound attempt with hands, receiving a justified red card and giving Ghana the penalty, which Gyan, a player who had been the hero for the Black Stars until that moment, missed. This was Gyan’s moment to be an instant hero not only in his country but across Africa as a goal would have sealed off the contest and sent Ghana to the semifinals, making them the first African team in history to get that far. That miss proved decisive, as Uruguay eventually won the game on penalties. But before labelling Uruguay keeper Muslera as the “man of the match” for making himself big as Gyan took the spot-kick on top of two more saves in the penalty shoot-outs, the real man of the moment was Suarez. He surrendered himself and took one for his team as his save would make any goalkeeper envious (hope England’s Rob Green and calamity James were watching). Yet, while one man’s hero is another man’s villain, many people, especially Ghana fans and all Africans, see Suarez as a cheat. But the question is, “Did he cheat?” Before any Ghana player, fan, or us Africans or anyone else responds, we must consider what would’ve happened had our team (Ghana or Rwanda or any other) been in the same situation? Assume it were you, would you have allowed the ball to get in the back of the net? Or would you have wanted your player to take one for the team? And while Ghana fans might be pissed off by his happiness (when Gyan hit the crossbar), you can’t deny the man his joy, as he just saved his country from elimination. Granted, he did do something that anyone other than a Uruguayan would consider dirty, but what player hasn’t? Maradona? (Hand of god against England)) Cristiano Ronaldo (diver and winker) and Messi? (also hand of god against Getafe).Some of the greatest players in the world have done inconceivable things but gone scot- free. All in all, Suarez’s save proved decisive and Uruguay is now in the semi-finals for the first time since 1970. At the very least, he is going to be the man of the moment in his home country as Gyan lives a life of a villain, at least for the foreseeable future. nku78@yahoo.com