Ghana v Uruguay - World Cup 2022: LIVE commentary, updates and reaction

The Black Stars are one game from reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in 12 years when Luis Suarez cost them the chance to become the first ever African nation to reach the semi-finals.

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Suarez's infamous handball in extra-time prevented a certain goal that would have sent Ghana into the final four in 2010 - Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty and Uruguay prevailed in the shootout.

As fate would have it, Ghana can now deny former Liverpool and Barcelona star Suarez a last World Cup swansong when they meet again.

Ghanaian fans still hold a lot of animosity towards the Uruguayan, with victory enough to see Otto Addo's side progress.

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Ghana v Uruguay: talkSPORT coverage

This World Cup Group H clash will take place on Friday, December 2 - the final day of group stage fixtures.

The match at the Al Janoub Stadium will kick-off at 3pm.

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Ghana v Uruguay: Squads and team news

Gideon Mensah has claimed he will be fit to start for the Black Stars after being withdrawn for the 3-2 win over South Korea.

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Ironically, Suarez may not even be picked to start having been dropped for poor performance in the defeat to Portugal.

Ghana

Goalkeeper: Lawrence Ati Zigi, Ibrahim Danlad, Abdul Manaf Nurudeen

Defenders: Denis Odoi, Tariq Lamptey, Alidu Seidu, Daniel Amartey, Joseph Aidoo, Alexander Djiku, Mohammed Salisu, Abdul-Rahman Baba, Gideon Mensah

Midfielders: Andre Ayew, Thomas Partey, Elisha Owusu, Salis Abdul Samed, Mohammed Kudus, Daniel Kofi Kyereh

Forwards: Daniel Barnieh Afriyie, Kamal Sowah, Issahaku Abdul Fatawu, Osman Bukari, Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew, Kamaldeen Sulemana

Uruguay

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Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera, Sergio Rochet, Sebastian Sosa

Defenders: Jose Maria Gimenez, Sebastian Coates, Diego Godin, Martin Caceres, Ronald Araujo, Guillermo Varela, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Mathias Olivera, Matias Vina

Midfielders: Lucas Torreira, Manuel Ugarte, Matias Vecino, Rodrigo Bentancur, Federico Valverde, Facundo Pellistri, Nicolas De La Cruz

Forwards: Agustin Canobbio, Facundo Torres, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Maxi Gomez, Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Darwin Nunez

Ghana v Uruguay: What has been said?

Gyan told talkSPORT that he holds no grudge against Suarez for THAT handball incident at the World Cup.

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Reflecting on what happened, Gyan told talkSPORT: "I'm a football player and I do understand the game. Back home, everybody who watched the game, they dislike him.

"I always say if I was Suarez I would have done the same thing to save my country. He's a hero there.

"Although people see him as a cheat, he did what he had to do to get his country to the semi-final.

"People do hate him, but I'm in the game as well. He did what he had to do to get his country to the semi-final.

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"It has been [more than] 10 years now and it still sticks in my mind. It is a pain that I have to live with."

Ghana v Uruguay: Match facts

Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur won possession 19 times for his team in their 2-0 defeat to Portugal on MD2, the most by a player in a 90-minute World Cup match since Brazil's Mauro Silva in 1994 against the USA (also 19).

In their 3-2 against Korea Republic, Mohammed Kudus became the first Ghana player to score twice in a single match at the World Cup. Only Asamoah Gyan (3 in 2010) has ever scored more in a single edition of the tournament for the Black Stars.

Uruguay have used four players aged 35 or older at the 2022 World Cup - Martín Cáceres, Edinson Cavani, Luis Suárez and Diego Godín - only the second time a nation has used four players aged 35+ at a single edition, along with Panama in 2018.

Ghana have scored with five of their six shots on target at the 2022 World Cup so far, including all three such efforts against Korea Republic last time out. Their five goals is their joint-most scored in any of their four appearances at the tournament (also 5 in 2010).

Ghana have scored in their last seven World Cup games and could equal Nigeria's record of eight for an African nation at the tournament, set between 1994 and 1998.

Following their 2-0 defeat to Portugal, Uruguay are looking to avoid losing two group stage matches in a single edition of the World Cup for the first time since 1974.

Uruguay are yet to score a single goal at the 2022 World Cup, failing with 21 efforts at goal so far. The last South American side to go through an entire group stage without scoring a goal was Peru in the second group phase in 1978.

Ghana are looking to win consecutive World Cup games for the second time, previously doing so on MD2 and MD3 in 2006 (vs Czech Republic and USA). Victory here will see them reach the knockout rounds for the third time in their four appearances at the World Cup.

Uruguay have never lost a FIFA World Cup match against an African nation (W2 D2), with all four meetings coming in the 21st century - 3-3 vs Senegal (2002), 3-0 vs South Africa (2010), 1-1 vs Ghana (2010) and 1-0 vs Egypt (2018).

The only previous FIFA World Cup meeting between Ghana and Uruguay was a famous quarter-final match in 2010, a 1-1 draw in which Uruguay's Luis Suárez was sent off for deliberate handball, but Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty. Uruguay ending up progressing via penalty shootout.

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