'Hand of God now belongs to me' - When Suarez's deliberate handball took Uruguay to the 2010 WC semifinals

2010 will be a year that most African football fans will never forget. Not only were they going to host the world for a football tournament, but it was also another chance to have the best in the world soccer converge in South Africa for the most coveted trophy in football - the World Cup.

With hosts, South Africa, having been eliminated at the group stage and her neighbours failing to spark, the whole hope for the continent rested on Ghana.

In a packed Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, Luis Suarez broke the heart of a continent.

The game had started as all Africans had expected and Sulley Muntari gave Mama Africa some hope when he put Ghana into the lead at the stroke of halftime and even though Uruguay had restored parity ten minutes after resumptions through Diego Forlan, there was still hope that Ghanaians would pull through.

While pushing in extra time looking for a winner, a goalmouth scramble ensued. Suarez who had now formed part of the Uruguayan defence had first cleared the ball with his knee as Ghana pilled pressure and while Dominic Adiyiah rose highest to head back towards goal and Uruguay forward slapped the ball away like a prime goalkeeper. 

"The Hand of God now belongs to me," said Luis Suarez after his goalline handball stopped Ghana's late winner and led to Uruguay qualifying for the 2010 World Cup semi-final.

"I made the best save of the tournament," he added. "Sometimes in training, I play as a goalkeeper, so it was worth it."

A red card and a penalty followed but when Asamoah Gyan smacked the pen against the crossbar, Suarez went wild on the touchline. Uruguay duly won the deciding shootout and Ghana, the last African team in the South Africa-hosted World Cup, were out.

It's one of the most incredible endings to a World Cup match. The drama was only heightened by Sebastian Abreu's cheeky panenka penalty sealing Uruguay's shootout triumph.

As usual, Suarez was somehow a hero and villain at the same time. The game was 1-1 at the end of extra time, Diego Forlan's free-kick cancelling out Sulley Muntari's strike, with the crazy Jabulani ball swerving all over the place for both goals.

There was a goalmouth scramble as Ghana searched for a late winner and Suarez actually made a brilliant clearance with his knee, before Adiyah returned the ball and Suarez made a save any top keeper would have been proud of.

"It was just instinct. Any player would have done the same - not just me," he said bullishly afterwards.

The football world was divided afterwards. Some felt heartbroken on behalf of Ghana and disgust at how unrepentant Suarez was, with his touchline celebration after the missed penalty the icing on a rancid cake.

Others pointed out that this is exactly what you would want from a player in your own team: sacrificing himself, accepting a red card and a ban just to try to get his team into the next round.