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A left-foot strike by Asamoah Gyan in extra time was enough to get Ghana into the World Cup quarter-finals.

The goal came after Ghana had been subjected to long periods of sustained American pressure with the teams having gone into extra time with the score tied at 1-1.

USA Vs Ghana

Ghana became only the third African team to reach the quarters after Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002.

USA did not give up and fought strongly and Landon Donovan equalised just after the hour mark from the penalty spot after Ghana’s teenage defender Jonathan Mensah gave away a 62nd minute penalty when he brought down Clint Dempsey.

Jozy Altidore might have snatched victory for the Americans 10 minutes from the end of normal time after getting the better of the Ghana defence, but hooked his shot wide.

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Luis Suarez earned Uruguay a 2-1 win over a battling South Korea  and a place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in four decades.

The match looked to be headed for extra time when Suarez blasted a curling shot in off the post to clinch an 80th-minute winner after South Korea had fought their way back into the game and could have won it.

Uruguay Vs South Korea

Suarez said:

“Being young, this is the moment I have always dreamed of. This is an unrepeatable moment. As a football player you always want things to work out, even more so in the World Cup.”

Uruguay have won the World Cup in 1930 and 1950,  will  face Ghana in the quarter-finals in Johannesburg on July 2.

South Korea’s players slumped to the ground in devastation after being denied a place in the last eight for the first time on foreign soil.

An early horrendous error by one of the tournament’s leakiest defences left the Koreans chasing a game they went on to dominate, with Suarez popping up in clear space to slot the ball into an empty net in the eighth minute.

South Korea never gave in and piled on the pressure with a steady stream of dangerous counter-attacks, with Park Ji-sung linking up well with Lee Chung-yong and Park Chu-young, whose free-kick struck the post early on.

South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo said:

“Our players never give up no matter what the situation. We were on a high we were doing quite well … the reason we lost was we were unable to capitalise on our opportunities.”

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez admitted it had been a tough game but said they were delighted with the chance to repeat their 1970 feat by reaching the semi-finals.

He added:

“We waited a long time for this. I think the team put on a display of discipline, maturity and class, and luckily Suarez scored that amazing goal.”