Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez vigorously defended striker Luis Suarez, whose handball ultimately saw La Celeste into a World Cup semi-final at Ghana’s expense.

Suarez punched Dominic Adiyiah’s header off the line in the very last seconds of extra-time, thus denying Ghana a certain winner.

Uruguay were fully punished under football’s laws, conceding a penalty and seeing Suarez dismissed. But Asamoah Gyan’s spot-kick, the last kick of the match, struck the bar and Uruguay won the resultant shoot-out.

Tabarez said: “Saying we cheated Ghana is too harsh a word. Yes, he stuck his hand out, but its not cheating, it’s instinctive.”

He added: “When there is a handball in the penalty area, the player is thrown out of the game and he can’t play the next match.

“What else do you want? Is Suarez also to blame for Ghana missing that penalty?”

Tabarez also admitted: “We didn’t play well but we’ve gone through. It seems there’s something forcing us on, it must be the strength and unity of these boys.”

Suarez is suspended for Tuesday’s semi-final against Holland, where he plays his club football for Ajax.

Captain Diego Lugano is doubtful after limping out of the quarter-final with a leg injury.