Ghana and Uruguay have failed to progress to the knockout phase of the 2022 World Cup despite the South Americans beating the African side 2-0 in their final group H match at the Al- Janoub stadium on Friday.
A first half brace from attacker Arrascaeta was enough to hand Uruguay a deserving 2-0 win but not enough to secure them passage to the next phase of the tournament.
Ghana captain Andre Ayew missed from the spot as the script of 2010 was re-written in the Persian gulf.
Ghana went into the game needing to at least avoid defeat in order to secure progression into the next stage of the World Cup whereas Uruguay needed a win and nothing more.
Black Stars coach Otto Addo made two changes to the side team started in the 3-2 win over South Korea last time out.
Alidu Seidu return to take the right back slot, replacing Tariq Lamptey while Baba Rahman take the place of Gideon Mensah at leftback.
The coach also tweaked the formation from the 4:3:3 deployed against South Korea to 4:2:3:1.
Contrary to the expectations of many, the game started on a rather calm fashion with both Ghana and Uruguay trying to edge each other out in terms of possession.
The first real action of the first half came in the 15th minute when Uruguay keeper was adjudged to have brought down Kudus Mohammed in the area.
A penalty was awarded Ghana after a VAR review which lasted over two minutes.
But just like in 2010, the penalty was missed. Andre Ayew the victim this time round.
Moments later, Uruguay also came close to scoring when Ghana defender Daniel Amartey failed failed to clear a seemingly harmless ball away from danger.
The Leceister City man slipped, allowing Darwin Nunez to go one-on-one with Ati Zigi but the striker’s chiky lob was cleared off the line by Salisu Mohammed.
Uruguay were spurred on by that incident and continue to pile more pressure on Ghana. The pressure eventually paid off in the 26th minute when De Arrascaeta reacted the quickest to head home his side’s opener from close range after Ati Zigi parried a smart Luiz Suarez shot. 1-0 Uruguay.
In 32nd minute Arrascaeta doubled his tally for the night and that of Uruguay after getting to the end of a sublime Luiz Suarez pass to put the ball beyond the reach of Ati Zigi. 2-0.
Ghana remained a pale shadow of the team they were in the win against South Korea as the first eventually went to a close with Uruguay exerting their superiority on the West Africans.
At the end of the first half of Uruguayan dominance, the South American had everything to smile about going into the break. 2-0.
Ghana made two half time substitutions with Osman Bukari Kamaldeen Sulemana replacing captain Andre Ayew and brother Jordan Ayew just before the second half kicked off.
The substitution nearly impacted the game early in the second half when Bukari got to the end of a cross from Baba Rahman and forced a save from the Uruguay keeper just two minutes after restart.
Ghana looked to have taken control of proceedings in the opening 15 minutes of the second half but only a VAR intervention prevented the Black Stars from conceding a penalty in the 60th minute.
Daniel Amartey challenged Darwin Nunes to a ball in the Ghana Penalty area but the referee found nothing wrong with the challenged even after consulting the video technology.
Ghana’s second half substitutes Bukari and Sulemana injected some pace some pace in the Black Stars’ attack. Obviously what Ghana needed at the time.
Uruguay responded to the Ghana substitutions with a double change of their own.
Luiz Suarez and Facundo Pellistri were taken off and their places taken by Edinson Cavani and Nicholas Dè La Cruz in the 66th minute.
Moment after the changes, midfielder Federico Valverde nearly made it 3-0 for Uruguay with a trade mark long range shot but Ati Zigi stood up to task.
Inaki Williams and the impressive Salis Abdul Samed were also substituted by Ghana Coach Otto Addo with 20 minutes to play.
Striker Antoine Semeyo and playmaker Daniel Kofi Kyere took their places as the Black Stars injected more pace and creativity to their play.
With the clock tickling down, Semenyo nearly scored for Ghana with a left footed snap shot but his attempt just went wide off the post.
Ghana kept pressing and with 10 minutes to play, Kudus saw his from the edge of the penalty area parried away by the Uruguay keeper.
The News of South Korea taking the lead against Portugal in the other group H game sent sivers down the spine of the Uruguayans who at that point needed an extra goal to go through.
Korea winning means, both Uruguay and Ghana were on their way out of the competition.
The game all of a sudden reached an octane stage deep into additional when Ghana’s Kudus and Uruguay’s Valverde all coming close to scoring with seconds of each other.
Ghana needed two but Uruguay needed just a goal and if neither score, both teams are out.
And indeed, both teams were out as they both failed to find the goals they needed to stay in the competition.
A 2-0 win in the end for Uruguay but not enough to see the South Americans through.
South Korea and Portugal progress from the group.
