It's a bar too many for Ghana.

As was oft repeated in the increasingly annoying ITV coverage 'Africa have never had a team in the semi-finals' and, alas that won't change this time round. Likewise, there will never be another African team that come this close and still miss out. Ghana are homeward bound and like the host nation proud, but heart-broken. None more so than Gyan, just a single kick away from the greatest night of his life, bar none. It was agony in the end. Absolute agony.

Following the dismissal of Brazil from the tournament by the Dutch, you thought this would pale in significance, instead it became the worthy headliner of the night. So painful. Kevin Prince Boateng has been for me one of the players of the tournament so far. He has matured so much in the last 3 weeks, he seems almost a different player. He has made this Ghanaian side click, it was telling when Stephen Appiah came on and Boateng had to move out to the right. Ghana lost their potency and drive. By the end of Extra time, Boateng looked like a man out on his feet such was his work rate. he has to some degree dragged Ghana this far. Devoid of Essien and largely Appiah reduced to cameo performances due to injuries, the new boy drove forward a team talented, quick and direct. He only got permission to play for them 4 weeks before the tournament started, having previously represented Germany from U15 - U21 level. With just one friendly game for his new country before the tournament it was a whirlwind introduction for everyone concerned. Though have no stats for him, Gyan must have covered huge amounts of ground tonight, he seems to be one of the hardest working strikers around, especially playing as a lone front man. Ghana looked strong at the back, a real unit, Mensah was a commanding presence at the back and despite a few frights they looked pretty solid.

Uruguay were a different side to the one watched against South Korea, there they looked in control and comfortable throughout. Despite Korea getting an equaliser, it never felt like Uruguay were in any danger. Here, despite the herculean efforts of Perez, Uruguay never took control of the game. Ghana were dangerous, Boateng found space between the two lines of players and was probing and playing with his head up, the need to shoot from all angles seems to have faded from his game. Forlan when he got the ball was easily the pick of the team, he use of both feet is superb, passing, shooting and control, a beautifully ambidextrous player. Suarez was his usual buzzing self, and after the game it seems unfair that should Uruguay get past the Dutch he could return for the final, he should be sent home, but such is football. Uruguay looked ragged for large part of the first half, but really came out and pressed further up the pitch in the second half and were rewarded when Forlan hit a beautiful dipping free kick around the hour mark, the ball threatens to bend into the near post but seems to straighten up and sail past the keeper. thats 3 of his 4 goals scored from outside the box. the last half hour of this game was real end to end stuff, both teams wanted to win it and it showed. For the final 15 minutews of the game, the ball seemed to bypass the midfield entirely, the formations resembled a more unorthodox 4-2-4 on both sides. There were chances a piece but extra time was enforced.

Extra time began as normal time had finished, end to end attacking football, there were few clear cut chances, both defences employing both great defending and last ditch saves to keep their opponents out. And then, in the final minute of extra time, Ghana from a corner deliver the ball into the middle of the six yard box, it's a horrible scramble, one shot is blocked on the line by Suarez and the follow up header is cleared off the line by the same man, but this time with his hands. It's a good spot from the referee, Suarez is immediately sent from the field, his head in his shirt. This is it, Ghana, twice scorers from the spot in the group stages, have with their last kick of the ball the chance to put themselves through to the semi-finals. If there were any neutrals at this point not cheering for Ghana they must be dead inside, I have been a huge Uruguay fan at this finals, I've loved watching them play, their combination of delightful short passing and surging counter-attack football, have been wonderful. At times they feel like a swashbuckling team with no inhibitions, pouring forward with abandon. Whereas the balance of play has been superb, gret forward momentum with a superbly organized and able defence protected magnificently by Perez, Pereira and Arevalo. Devoid of their first choice centre back pairing last night, the protecting midfielders can take a lot of credit away. Anyway, Ghana, last kick of the game for a place in the semi final (first African team to reach that stage in case you didn't know) and Gyan steps up (more shot off target that any other player at the finals) the keeper commits a little too early, Gyan aims for the top right hand corner, hits the bar and over, and that is the end of the game we go to penalties. Absolute heartbreak for the Ghanaians, and none more so than Gyan. He'll be replaying that penalty for weeks.

In the shootout, Gyan stepsup for Ghana's first, brave man and put the ball into the top right hand corner, proving that he can, unfortunately this time he needs his other players to step up as well. Unfortunately they don't. At 2 a piece Scotti scores for Uruguay and the captain John Mensah steps up, 2 pace run up and hits the ball straight at Musiera. Terrible strike, awful, Pereira skies it for Uruguay to even things up, Adiyiah, the 20 year old substitute steps up and as if taking his cue from his captain, short run up, poor strike and another save from Musiera, 2 shocking penalties in a row. Sureely it's Uruguays to win it, and they do with Abreu just dinking the ball down the middle. Incredible composure from 12 yards and Uruguay go through.

It's a harsh way to be dumped out of the competition, an yesterday it felt downright cruel. Ghana deserved to be in that semi-final, and their fate was in their own hands. That night will live with Gyan forever, that was his chance to make history, he did, for all the wrong reasons. So close. They must have felt cheated out of a place in the last four,m that ball was going in before Suarez clawed it out, but they had their chance, there was nothing more the referee could have done, 1 kick to change history. Instead the hearts of Africa were crushed.

Can a neutral still support Uruguay? I did before this game, I wanted them in the final, a country of just 3.5 million people, I was even thinking I'd like to visit Uruguay purely on the basis of their showing at this World Cup, not now. Diego Forlan is having a wonderful competition and getting the international credit he deserves. A truly gifted player. but now, after that, can you support them, it seems not. Had that penalty happened in the 32nd minute it wouldn't have felt so cruel, but the timing was incredible, you really couldn't write it any better, and that makes it all the harder to swallow.

Now Uruguay face Brazil's vanquishers Holland in Cape Town. Suddenly this game has lost some of it's appeal, Do I want Holland in the final? Maybe. Do I want Uruguay in the final? I'll know come 19.30 on Tuesday, it'll be bittersweet if nothing else.