Sebastien Abreu’s deftly chipped spot-kick sealed a shoot-out victory for Uruguay in this sensational quarter-final in Soccer City.

But the pivotal moment was Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan hitting the crossbar with a spot-kick which was the last kick of extra-time.

The Johannesburg venue will stage the final, but that match is unlikely to be so dramatic.

Ghana took the lead right on half-time thanks to a wonder 35-yard strike from Sulley Muntari, while Diego Forlan equalised with a stunning free-kick early in the second half.

It was a terrific match but the real drama came in the closing stages of extra-time as Uruguay’s Luis Suarez cleared two Ghanaian efforts off the line, the second with both hands.

Suarez was dismissed. But Gyan couldn’t take advantage. And although Gyan bravely scored Ghana’s first shoot-out kick, Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera saved John Mensah and Dominic Adiyiah’s efforts to seal La Celeste’s semi-final place.