Uruguay's Suarez handed one-match ban

Jul 3, 2010, 18:08 GMT

Johannesburg - Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has been banned for one match for his handball on the line which stopped Ghana becoming the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final.

FIFA's disciplinary committee confirmed Saturday that Suarez will miss Tuesday's semi-final against the Netherlands in Cape Town, but will be eligible to play in the final on July 11 should Uruguay progress.

Uruguay had feared Suarez, who has three goals in the tournament, would receive a two-match ban.

FIFA's disciplinary committee said in a statement Suarez was in breach of an article of its disciplinary code 'by denying the opposite team a clear goal-scoring opportunity,' an offence which warranted a one-match suspension.

Suarez was shown a red card after he prevented Dominic Adiyiah's header from crossing the line in the last minute of extra-time in Friday's quarter-final at Soccer City, Johannesburg.

Ghana's Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty and the match ended 1-1, with Uruguay going on to win the penalty shoot-out.