The year is 2010 and "vuvuzelas" are trumpeting across the continent of Africa where a beautiful country in the Southern part of the black continent called South Africa has defied the odds by being granted the golden opportunity to host the world's most prestigious football tournament, the FIFA World Cup.

The hosts, Bafana Bafana of South Africa, Nigeria's Super Eagles, Algeria's Desert Foxes, Cameroon's Indomitable Lions and Ivory Coast's Elephants, have all packed their bags and all African hopes and dreams rest on the shoulders of the Black Star of Ghana when they come across Southern American wildcards, Uruguay.

What could possibly go wrong? The "shocking" answer is everything would come crashing down on our (Ghana supporters') heads.

In the first half, you could cut the tension with a knife as the atmosphere in the FNB stadium, also known as Soccer City or the Calabash, as the warriors vied for blood.

Both teams were exchanging punches without any fatal blows until the halfway mark when Ghana's midfielder Sulley Muntari buried an Asamoah Gyan assist home.

The whole 94,736-seater Calabash erupted into euphoria as we thought this was it, our ticket into the semifinals.

Was it really the much-awaited breakthrough? Unfortunately, the joy and adrenaline were to be short-lived as the eventual golden boot awardee Diego Forlan equalized just 10 minutes into the second half.

On the 90-minute mark, only four minutes of injury time were added to no avail.

The game stayed tied up until the final whistle and of course, there were two options left, either sealing a semifinal spot in the extra time or taking it to the penalties.

From Cape to Cairo, all African spirits were summoned to brighten the Black Stars and fortunately, the prayers of the sons and daughters of the soil seemed to be on the verge of being answered.

Just a minute before the final whistle of extra time, chaos erupted in Uruguay's box with Luis Suarez heroically defending John Mensah's effort off the line but the worst drama happened when El Pistolero took over the goalkeeper's responsibility by using his hands to clear away a Dominic Adiyiah rebound header.

For those of us who were rallying behind Ghana, we could feel our blood vessels boiling with rage staring at our home television sets.

I personally still remember my 86-year-old grandmother who had never been a football fan before this match uttering words I still remember to this day, "Dai ndaiva muroyi, uyu ndairova nemheni badzi (If I was a witch, I would strike this one (Suarez) with lightning)."

This is how crucial the encounter was for not just Ghana but for the pride of the African people.

Suarez got matching orders and a penalty given to the Black Stars with the legendary number 3 forward Asamoah Gyan stepping forward to send it home.

We were anxiously awaiting that precise second when we would all congratulate one another and exclaim, "We have done it!" as we all stared at our family's 24-inch television.

Sadly, the football "gods" had something different in mind.

Gyan stepped forward looking nervous, hit the ball with all his might and we all saw our dreams crumbling in our faces when it struck the crossbar, sending the game into penalties when of course, Uruguay managed to clinch a semifinals spot at our expense.

Fast forward to the pandemic, videos of Ghanaian "Pallbearers," the Nana Otafrija Pallbearing and Waiting Services Company went viral all over the internet.

In an interview with Foot Mercato, Benjamin Aidoo, the founder of the company, opened up on the extent of pain Luis Suarez had inflicted on not just Ghana but everyone who was rooting for the Black Stars.

He said: "If you really want something and Suarez is there, you can never reach it. The Ghanaians haven't forgiven him, no. You know that Ghanaians do not forgive."

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has given an opportunity for the Black Stars to settle the scores with the architect of their 2010 pain still in the Uruguay squad.

Just more than a decade later the Black Stars make a date with La Celeste, this time around in the group stages with a spot in the round of 16 still at stake.

It is a winner-take-all match but a more motivated Ghana fancy their chances even to settle for a draw.

However, we have a vendetta situation at hand and Luis "El Pistolero" Suarez might just feel the wrath of the raging Black Stars.

Is it the time for vengeance? Well, time will tell.