Ghana beat the United States on Asamoah Gyan’s 93rd minute winner in Rustenburg on Saturday to join Uruguay in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Players of Uruguay celebrate their victory after their 2010 World Cup round of 16 soccer match aganst South Korea at Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on June 26, 2010. Uruguay won 2-1 and qualifies for the round of 8.

Gyan scored an extra time goal to nail the Black Star’s 2-1 victory while Luis Suarez struck twice to put Uruguay 2-1 through South Korea in Port Elizabeth.

Gyan, who had converted two group stage penalty shots, won an aerial challenge with Ashley Cole and kept his balance to blast home three minutes into extra time.

For the rest of extra time, the United States pressed hard and created numerous chances, which were either ruined by Ghana keeper Richard Kingson or the Americans’ inability to finish the attack.

“I am the happiest man in the world,” Gyan exclaimed after the final whistle.

“In 2006 we made the second round, now we have gone a step further. We have made Ghana proud and the whole of Africa proud.”

The Black Star controlled the first half and the speedy Americans held an upper hand in the second.

Kevin-Prince Boateng put Ghana ahead in the fifth minute and Landon Donovan pulled the Americans back on the same footing with an half-time penalty kick.

U.S. midfielder Ricardo Clark lost the possession on the halfway line and Kevin-Prince Boateng took the loose ball and stormed down the middle, jinking from two defenders to get to the edge of the box, where he struck a low left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

The fully-stretched Tim Howard could have blocked it if his right hand were half meter longer.

The Americans could have leveled on 34 minutes when Robbie Findley was beautifully played in down by Clint Dempsey, but Findley didn’t get enough strike on the ball from 15 meters and Kingson blocked it with his left leg.

The Ghana replied with an even bigger threat as Kwadwo Asamoah, who raced down to shake off two defenders, forced a superb save from Howard.

One minute into the second half, the Americans squandered a wonderful chance as Jozy Altidore hesitated in the area and had to pass to Benny Felihaber, who hit the ball into the arms of an onrushing Kingson.

Another chance came about 10 minutes later when Landon Donovan curled in a perfect cross from the left and it beat two Ghana defenders, with the ball narrowly evading Clint Dempsey at the post.

U.S. equalized at the 63rd minute on Donovan’s spot kick, which was awarded after Clint Dempsey was brought down by Jonathan Mensah in the penalty area after breaking through Ghana’s defense.

Donovan smashed the penalty shot on the inside of the post to deflect into the net.

“I really felt when we got to 1-1 there were some chances for us,” United States coach Bob Bradley said. “Early in the overtime we go down again early. At that point, with everything we put into the game early, we didn’t have enough after that.”

At the 75th minute, unmarked Michael Bradley raced through between two defenders into the area to smash the ball at goal, which was saved by well-positioned Kingson.

Five minutes later, Jozy Altidore stormed into the area and fell down while muscling with Anthony Annan. Before hitting the ground, the American forward delivered a shot which went half meter wide of the post.

Uruguay, two-time world champions,reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1970.

The Taeguk Warriors played brilliantly in the rain-drenched Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and equalized on Lee Chung-Yong’s header in the second half, but Suarez’s second goal, converted in a spectacular way, ended the Asian side’s heroic run in South Africa.

A shameful record, in which Asians have never beaten South Americans in the World Cup, will last - at least until Japan’s second round clash with Paraguay.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez made a notable change with Diego Godin replacing Mauricio Victorino at the back, while his counterpart Huh Jung-Moo threw in winger Kim Jae-Sung in place of Yeom Ki-Hun.

The South Koreans started well with Park Ji-Sung sprinting down to the edge of the area only for Diego Lugano to snuff out his attempt for through-pass.

Moments later, Park Chu-Young’s curling free-kick was blocked, not by keeper Fernando Muslera, who stood watching helplessly, but by the post.

It was Uruguay who drew first blood in the eighth minute, when an unmarked Suarez calmly pushed a Diego Forlan’s low cross to the empty net.

The South Koreans evened the scores on 68 minutes when, from a free-kick, Bolton’s Lee Chung-Yong pounced on Mauricio Victorino’s attempted clearance, to nod in from eight yards.

It was the first goal Uruguay had conceded in the tournament and they came close to losing a second when Lee Chung-Yong delivered a tame shot inside the area after he was superbly played in by Park Ji-Sung.

With 10 minutes to go, when the ball came to Suarez’s way on the edge of the box following a corner, the Ajax forward curled a spectacular shot which deflected in off the post.

The South Koreans fell to their knees at the final whistle as the Uruguayans celebrated with a group hug in the downpour.

“I’m really happy because being young I always dream of these types of moments,” Suarez said. “These moments we’ re experiencing are once in a lifetime.”

The South Korea coach believed his team could have had a different result, saying that his men would leave the tournament with their heads held high.

“This was not the result we wanted, but my players gave their best. My team should be congratulated,” said Huh.

“Uruguay were lucky in their goals.”

On luck part, Uruguay coach agreed.

“Korea played a great game, but that slice of luck went our way not theirs this time - that’s football,” said Oscar Tabarez.

“It was a very hard-fought victory that took a lot out of us. The team’s solidity and cohesion really came to the fore late on and, without getting carried away, I think that is a great quality to have whatever team you’re up against.”

Source: Xinhuanet