World Cup 2010: Tabarez defends 'instinctive' handball

World Cup 2010: Tabarez defends 'instinctive' handball

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said Luis Suarez did not cheat and described the striker's goal-line handball late into extra time as an instinctive reaction.

Suarez punched Adiyah's goalbound header off the line to deny Ghana what would have proved the winner.

Asamoah Gyan missed the ensuing penalty and Uruguay went on to win a shoot-out.

Tabarez said: "Saying we cheated Ghana is too harsh a word to use. Yes he stuck his hand out but it's not cheating. It was instinctive."

Suarez was sent off for the handball - meaning he will miss the semi-final against the Netherlands.


PAUL FLETCHER'S BLOG
Does anybody really think that professional players all over the world would not have done the same thing?

Gyan bravely stepped up to score Ghana's opening spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out, but his side's eventual defeat led to heartbreaking scenes as the striker broke down in tears.

Sebastian Abreu scored the winning penalty after misses by Ghanaian pair John Mensah and Dominic Adiyah, either side of a miss by Uruguayan defender Maxi Pereira.

"When there is a handball in the penalty area there is a red card and the player is thrown out of the game," added Tabarez.

"The player instinctively reacted and was thrown out of the match and he can't play the next match. What else do you want?

"Is Suarez also to blame for Ghana missing the penalty? We try to be dignified and if we lose a match we look for the reasons for it. You shouldn't look to third parties.

"This is football. There are consequences to that handball and he didn't know that Ghana was going to miss that penalty."

Uruguay's victory means they progress to their first World Cup semi-final since 1970 and Tabarez hailed his team's "strength and unity" after the dramatic victory.

"I'm emotional. We didn't play well, but we've gone through," said Tabarez. "It seems there's something forcing us on, it must be the strength and unity of these boys. We are very excited.

"I hope the party goes on for three or four days. I am the coach of the team, I'm a pro and even so I lack the necessary calm to carry out an objective analysis of what happened.

"We achieved our goal but we didn't play as we wanted to. Our rival was extremely tough. We were lucky. Luck is important and I really cannot say much more.

"Those who believe in fate or destiny they might be able to explain it. I don't believe in that.

"We have a little time to prepare for the match against Holland but we are going there to win."

Diego Forlan, who scored Uruguay's equaliser with a stunning free-kick to cancel out Sulley Muntari's opener, added: "Suarez this time, instead of scoring goals, he saved one, I think he saved the game.

"We suffered but now we will be amongst the four best sides in the world. There are no words for that.

"As for the shoot-out, we felt we were going to faint with each penalty."

Former Chelsea and Uruguay midfielder Gus Poyet said he was disappointed Suarez was being accused of cheating.

"That's absolutely rubbish, he's taking one for the team, helping one country to the semi-final for the first time in so so many years," he said.

"Everybody saw the action and the referee took the action and after the had the chance to score the penalty and he didn't."