Ghana coach Otto Addo said he pinned no blame on Andre Ayew after the striker missed a penalty in their 2-0 defeat to Uruguay on Friday that knocked them out of the World Cup and stirred up painful memories of their 2010 exit.
Ayew's tame effort was saved by Sergio Rochet in the 21st minute of the Group H encounter at Al Janoub Stadium and Uruguay made them pay with two quick goals from Giorgian de Arrascaeta before halftime.
While the win was not enough to send Uruguay through, it condemned Ghana to bottom place in the group and heading home.
????Andre Ayew’s penalty miss vs. Uruguay was the 5th saved penalty of the 2022 FIFA World Cup out of 12 taken.
— FIFA World Cup Stats (@alimo_philip) December 2, 2022
?It means 42% of penalties taken at Qatar 2022 have been saved. #FIFAWorldCup|#GHA|#GHAURU pic.twitter.com/3g8FHF0FoX
It was a familiar story for Ghana, who 12 years ago in South Africa missed an extra-time spot kick in a quarterfinal defeat against Uruguay following a now infamous handball from Luis Suarez.
Addo said Ayew, who was substituted at halftime, deserved credit for stepping up to take the spot kick and hailed his leadership qualities within the squad.
"This is football. When I was a player I didn't like taking penalties so I have to applaud everyone who is going there," he told reporters.
"For me Andre has done a lot for the squad. He is such a great character and a leader."
????Ghana are now the 1st nation in the 92-year FIFA World Cup history to miss 2 penalties against the same nation.
— FIFA World Cup Stats (@alimo_philip) December 2, 2022
??Awful #BlackStars Record #FIFAWorldCup|#GHA|#GHAURU pic.twitter.com/rR8bYJTWxm
Suarez was once again a thorn in the side of the Ghana defence and his influence on the game - within the rules this time - was just as impactful as in 2010.
The Uruguay captain, now 35-years-old, set up both goals for De Arrascaeta before he too was hauled off in the second half.
The striker, who has almost certainly played his last game at the World Cup, was pictured in tears at fulltime, after his side were pipped to the post to the runners-up spot by South Korea, who netted a late winner against Portugal to reach the last 16.
Addo would be forgiven for thinking that his side had exacted an element of revenge for the manner of their 2010 exit, even in defeat, after they prevented Uruguay from snatching a third goal that would have seen them progress to the next round.
Yet he said that was far from his mind.
"What hurts the most is that we are out, it doesn't matter who it was. I know that the public and a lot of people were seeking revenge, but I don't think this way and I told the players that they shouldn't think this way too," he said.
"I am a strong believer that if you don't seek revenge you get more blessings. We weren't looking for that we were trying to win this game.
"They have good players and were we prepared but today the luck was not on our side, surely we still have to improve and this is what we have to learn from."
If there are lessons to be learned, however, it will not be Addo at the helm to provide them.
The coach announced that his time in charge of the Black Stars was over.
"I said I would resign after the World Cup even if we were world champions," he said.
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