Suarez double bridges 40-year gap for Uruguay

Luis Suarez struck twice as Uruguay bridged a 40-year gap by reaching the World Cup quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over South Korea Saturday.

The 23-year-old striker and captain of Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam opened the scoring after eight minutes in Port Elizabeth and snatched the 80th-minute winner to take his country into the last eight for the first time since 1970.

"The truth is I didn't realise the ball was going to go in. In these moments the only thing I want to do is enjoy myself," said Suarez who jumped over photographers to celebrate the winner with team-mates.

Next up for the team from the small South American nation are Ghana or the United States, who meet later Saturday in Rustenburg with the US hoping to avenge a 2-1 first round loss to the Afrcians at the last World Cup.

Victory for Uruguay confirmed the impressive form of South American teams at the first World Cup staged by Africa with all five reaching the second round and Brazil and Argentina among the title favourites.

But as Asia saw its challenge cut in half - Japan face Paraguay in Pretoria Tuesday - South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo only had praise for his gallant Taeguk Warriors.

"They never gave up, they were tenacious and rose to the challenge, they showed they were true Koreans. We lost because we were not able to match Uruguay when it came to finishing," he admitted.

A blunder by goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong gifted Suarez his first goal as he failed to cut off a low Diego Forlan cross and the unmarked striker tapped the ball over the line from the far post.

Persistent second-half Korean pressure paid off on 68 minutes when Lee Chung-Young rose above goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and captain Daniel Lugano and nodded home.

As rain lashed down at three-quarter-full Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in the Eastern Cape city Suaraz conjured a moment of magic to settle a game that seemed destined for extra time.

South Korea failed to clear a corner and Suarez stepped inside a defender before curling the ball past Jung for a goal worthy of winning a World Cup final.

A strike force that has failed to score from open play is the major concern of Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac ahead of the clash with the never-say-die Americans in the north-west mining town of Rustenberg.

Asamoah Gyan scored both Black Stars' goals from penalties and the African Nations Cup runners-up squandered several good scoring chances in a narrow midweek defeat by Germany.

The United States, whose best showing was a last-eight place in 2002, are the comeback kings of this World Cup having held England and Slovenia after trailing before snatching a stoppage-time winner over Algeria.

England striker Wayne Rooney was given the all-clear to face Germany Sunday in Bloemfontein after an ankle injury and coach Fabio Capello can choose from a full-strength squad with defender Ledley King also available.

Picking a central defence partner for John Terry appears the only dilemma for the Italian and he may stick with Matthew Upson ahead of King and Jamie Carragher, who has completed a one-match ban.

Influential German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger trained on the eve of the latest episode in one of the great World Cup rivalries as he attempets to shake off a hamstring strain and back muscle injury.