Ghana unbowed in loss

It would’ve been historic if Ghana qualified for the semifinals in the 19th World Cup in South Africa. No African country has ever advanced to the Final Four in the football extravaganza since its inception in 1930. And the continent would’ve been in a state of euphoria if only Ghana beat Uruguay in the quarterfinals in Johannesburg the other day, considering Africa is hosting the World Cup for the first time.

For the sport, Ghana’s advance would’ve been a huge boost as FIFA could’ve used it as propaganda to inspire unheralded countries to work harder for their place in the sun.

But more than anything else, it would’ve been a triumph for Africa.

Before the World Cup got underway, writer Mark Gleeson speculated on the positives of an African coup.

“A first World Cup in Africa has a hugely symbolic meaning for a continent that is so often mired in the misery of mankind: war, famine and the desperation of deep poverty,” he said. “It has the potential to be a coming-out party, an opportunity to put a firm foot forward and make a bid for a respect where to date, there has been but pity, derision and/or indifference.”

Of the 32 countries that earned tickets to this year’s football spectacle, six were from Africa – Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana. Europe had the biggest representation with 13 – Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. South America listed Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. The US, Mexico and Honduras comprised North and Central America and the Caribbean while the Asian Football Confederation brought in Australia, South Korea, Japan and the Democratic Republic of Korea. Oceania was represented by New Zealand.

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Ghana was the only African team to survive the qualifications, advancing with Germany to the round of 16. Ghana beat Serbia, 1-0, drew with Australia, 1-1 and lost to Germany, 1-0. Ghana and Australia were tied for second but the African squad had a superior goal difference.

Cameroon, the first African quarterfinalist in 1990, had the worst record of the six African teams, losing three in a row to Japan, 1-0, Denmark, 2-1 and Holland, 2-1. Also winless were Algeria and Nigeria. Ivory

 Coast and South Africa posted 1-1-1 records but their quotients weren’t enough for an elevation. Ivory Coast played a scoreless draw with Portugal, bowed to Brazil, 3-1 and crushed North Korea, 3-0. Nigeria tied with South Korea, 2-2, but lost to Greece, 2-1 and Argentina, 1-0. South Africa had its moment of glory in a 2-1 drubbing of France but fell to Uruguay, 3-0, and drew with Mexico, 1-1, to fall out of contention.

Ghana broke into the quarterfinals after an upset over the US, 2-1. Then the roof caved in on the Ghanaians as they blew a penalty kick that would’ve sealed the outcome in the dying seconds of extension against Uruguay. The penalty was called after Ghana was robbed of a clear marker by a hand block from Uruguay defender Luis Suarez at the goalmouth with keeper Fernando Muslera out of position.

Ghana still had a chance to pull off an upset but lost in the penalty shootout, 4-2.

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How ironic that in Ghana’s first match, the Africans upset Serbia. The Black Stars’ coach is Milovan Rajevac, a Serbian like Philippine basketball team coach Rajko Toroman.

Playing without pressure, Ghana nearly bowled over Uruguay but collapsed down the stretch. Ghana now joins Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002) as the only African teams to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. At the 2006 World Cup, debuting Ghana was the only African team to survive the qualifications and make it to the round of 16.

Uruguay, the World Cup champion in 1930 and 1950, wouldn’t be denied a slot in the semifinals. But coach Oscar Tabarez’ team will battle Holland on Wednesday (Manila time) without Suarez who drew a red card for his “hand” job against Ghana. Suarez, 23, will be sorely missed. He has scored close to 70 goals in some 100 matches for the Dutch club Ajax and his absence puts the major responsibility of booting in the goals on Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan.

Ghana has nothing to be ashamed of. Coming so close to the semifinals was a feat in itself and a tribute to Rajevic. Ghana almost made history at the World Cup. The Black Stars were in tears after muffing the penalty kick and blowing two shots in the shootout.

Ghana’s emergence as a World Cup quarterfinalist is the kind of story that provides football a dramatic portrait. In the 2006 World Cup finals, over 715 million fans witnessed the epic showdown between Italy and France on international TV and 69,000 jammed the stadium in Berlin to watch the action as it happened. Italy won, 5-3, in the penalty shootout after a 1-1 tie in regulation and extension - a thrilling climax to another heart-stopping World Cup.

This year’s final should be just as exciting if not even more.