Reprieve for shamed Suarez

FIFA’s disciplinary commission on Saturday ruled the ban should be just for one game after the Ajax star, who has scored three goals at the finals, was shown a straight red card for the illegal goalline clearance which kept out Ghanaian substitute Dominic Adiyah’s header in Friday’s quarterfinal.

The offence resulted in a penalty in the last minute of extra time but Asamoah Gyan sent his spot-kick crashing off the crossbar to give the Uruguayans a reprieve which they exploited by prevailing 4-2 in the shootout which followed.

“This was the end of the World Cup. I had no choice. I have the ‘Hand of God’ now,” said Suarez, referring to Diego Maradona’s infamous description of a goal he scored with his hand against England in the 1986 World Cup.