Ghana, Uruguay first into quarters

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – Ghana equalled the best  World Cup display by an African side to reach the quarter-finals yesterday while Uruguay stirred memories of past glory by also  making it into the last eight for the first time in 40 years.  

In an otherwise miserable World Cup for Africa which lost  five of its six sides in the first round, the “Black Stars” beat  the United States 2-1 in a tight and pulsating encounter.  

Ghana’s win matched the feat of Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal  in 2002 who also went to the quarter-finals. 

The Ghanaians danced for joy at the end, as ecstatic fans  trumpeted vuvuzelas in Rustenburg’s Royal Bafokeng stadium.  

In a repeat of the score when they met in Germany four years  ago, Kevin-Prince Boateng drove home Ghana’s first early in the  game before Landon Donovan replied with a second-half penalty.  

Then in extra-time, Asamoah Gyan ran on to a high ball,  shrugged off a challenge and fired into the back of the net for  a winning 

goal that will never be forgotten in Ghana.  

“I am the happiest man in the world,” Gyan said. “God has  made me one of the best players in this tournament.”   

U.S. coach Bob Bradley lamented a “stinging, tough defeat.”  
   
URUGUAY’S PARTY  

For former champions Uruguay, who won the trophy way back in  1950 and 1930, a 2-1 win over South Korea yesterday put them  in the quarter-finals for the first time in four decades.   

 Now they are hungry to go further.  

“There are only 3 million people in Uruguay and we waited a  long time for this,” said thrilled coach Oscar Tabarez.  

“Here’s hoping the party goes on!”  

Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez slotted in an easy first goal  after Korean goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong was caught hopelessly  out of position by an angled Diego Forlan cross. 

The Asians fought back with spirit and equalised in the 68th  minute through Lee Chung-yong, but as torrential rain swept the  lakeside stadium, Suarez swerved in a brilliant winner 10  minutes from time to spark jubilation back home.  

“I was tired of hearing my grandparents always talk about  1950. Now it is our turn to celebrate and we are going to be  champions for sure,” shouted Laura Silva, 22, running between  cars in the capital Montevideo, waving a big national flag.  

The result confirmed the South American dominance that has  taken all their five teams into the knockout stage.

Passion in Chile over their passage to the last 16 even  overflowed into a riot, police firing tear gas and water cannon  at rowdy fans throwing flags and bottles among 50,000 people who  poured onto the streets on Friday night.