World Cup 2022: Tears for Suarez as karma bites

This was football at its riveting best. The climax to Group H will go down in World Cup legend as Uruguay, 2-0 up and cruising against their old foe Ghana, succumbed to an early World Cup exit as Hee-Chan Hwang scored a last-minute winner against Portugal to send South Korea though on goals scored with Uruguay spiraling out before the knockout stage for the first time since 2002.

The buildup to Ghana versus Uruguay had naturally been dominated by events 12 years ago and Suarez's lack of contrition more than a decade on. His handball on the line in 2010 saw him red-carded, but Asamoah Gyan's resulting penalty struck the bar in the dying moments of extra time — and Uruguay went on to win the penalty shootout to make the final four to deny Africa its first World Cup semifinalist.

'I don't apologize for that'

"I don't apologize for that," Suarez said on Thursday. "In this situation I took a red card and the ref said 'penalty.' It is not my fault because I didn't miss. It's not my responsibility to shoot the penalty."

That only poured fuel on the fire ahead of the sequel. Andre Ayew, Ghana's captain and the only survivor of the 2010 team, had given Suarez an icy stare during the pre-game handshakes, but Ayew missed an early penalty here – and that set the tone for Ghana who never recovered.

Suarez, now 35 and almost certainly playing in his last World Cup, saved his best performance at this tournament for the opponent that loathes him most. It felt inevitable that he would play a defining role in this contest, and when his shot was parried by Ghana keeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi and into the path of Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Uruguay had a lead they rarely looked like losing.

Suarez collected a second assist a few minutes later, lofting the ball into the path of De Arrascaeta, whose exquisite volley put Uruguay in complete control and on course for the last 16 for the fourth time in as many World Cups. The exuberant celebrations were led by Suarez, one of several Uruguay greats embarking on one last roll of the World Cup dice in Qatar.

Hwang flips the script

But 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Al Wakrah, in Education City, South Korea were cooking up a shock against group winners Portugal. Trailing to Ricardo Horta's fifth minute strike, South Korea's dreams were hanging by a thread – but a Young-Gwon Kim's equalizer restored hope for the Koreans, who knew that a single goal was all they needed as long as Uruguay failed to find a third goal against Ghana.

Uruguay coach Diego Alonso made the fatal decision to take Suarez off midway through the second half, but things got much worse for Alonso's side when news filtered through that Hwang had latched onto Heung-min Son's throughball and scored a 91st minute winner against Portugal.

An anxious 10 minutes followed for South Korea, whose win was confirmed, as they waited and hoped that Uruguay wouldn't find the goal needed. Huddled around a smartphone, Korea's players and staff could barely watch as matters were no longer in their hands.

Korean hearts were in mouths when Ghana defender Alidu Seidu tangled with Cavani in the box. It was a penalty, the contact was clear, but the German referee Daniel Siebert waved it away. It was to be the final meaningful act of the game as the full-time whistle blew.

'If we can't go through, they won't'

The South Korean end of the Education City stadium exploded as they celebrated an astonishing path to victory and their first appearance in the last 16 since 2010.

Uruguay angrily protested the manner of their exit and though Ghana didn't profit from Uruguay's agony, Suarez's tears softened the blow — at least for Ghana defender Daniel Amartey.

Asked whether it was important to deny Uruguay a place in the last 16, Amartey responded without hesitation: "For me, yes. At the end I told my teammates that we need to score but we must defend because they need a goal to go through. If we can't go through, they won't."