Asamoah Gyan, Ghana's top striker with three goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, missed the last-second penalty to drag the only African team surviving the group stage into penalty shootout and then lost the penalty shoot-out 4-2.

Uruguay star striker Luis Suarez was sent off in the 120th minute for clearing the ball off the line with his hands. However, Gyan, the striker from French Ligue 1 side Rennes, hit the ball to the bar!

A long distance powerful shot from Sulley Muntari in the 45th minute found the net and lifted Ghana to 1-0 lead at halftime.

Uruguay star striker Diego Forlan got the equaliser in the 55th minute. His glorious free kick bent over the wall, dipping and swerving, and touched the top right corner of the net.

Both sides played cautiously and paid more attention to their defence in the first half.

The 24th minute saw the first shot at goal for Forlan who slipped in and exchanged passes with Arevalo before bending an effort high and wide.

Around 29th minute, Ghana made two scoring chances but squandered both. Defender Isaac Vorsah climbed excellently above Lugano, his powerful header on a corner was inches wide. Then, a fantastic run from forward Kevin Prince Boateng made himself cut inside and found Asamoah Gyan who guided the ball towards goal, only to see it end up just the wrong side of the post.

Gyan, a striker from French Ligue 1 side Rennes, has scored three goals in this World Cup.

Boateng brought down the house in the 44th minute when his brilliant bicycle kick in the box slightly missed the target.

Forlan's partner Luis Suarez found a golden chance in the 63rd minute when Forlan plucked the ball out of the air fantastically and lifted an excellent ball to Suarez at the back post, who guided the ball wide.

Both sides had to enter the extra time.

The two played openly and the extra time featured attackings and counter-attackings.