DOHA, Qatar (AFP) - Luis
Suarez said he won’t apologize for the controversial handball incident that denied Ghana a place in the 2010 World Cup semifinals after being told he is regarded as a “devil” in the African nation.
Suarez, 35, was sent off for keeping out Dominic Adiyiah’s goal-bound header with his hands in the final minute of extra time in the 2010 quarterfinal in Soccer City, South Africa.
Although Ghana were awarded a penalty to try to win the game, which was tied at 1-1, Asamoah Gyan missed his spot-kick and Uruguay went on to book a semifinal against the Netherlands by winning 4-2 on penalties.
The incident was one of the most controversial in World Cup history and denied Ghana the chance to become the first African nation to reach the semifinals in the competition.
The two countries meet again at Al Janoub on Friday, with Uruguay needing to win to have any hope of qualification at Ghana’s expense from Group H.
“I don’t apologize about that, I did the handball, but the Ghana player missed the penalty, not me,” Suarez said at a news conference in Doha. “I could apologize if I injured a player with a tackle and got a red card, but in this situation I take a red card and the referee says penalty.