Both teams have performed exceptionally well apart from the odd hiccup and in the case of Uruguay, they have kept up the pace with their more chalked up South American rivals Brazil and Argentina.

For Ghana it is the second World Cup in succession that they are Africa’s only representative in the knock out stages, they have already bettered their performance in 2006 Germany by making it to the quarterfinals.

This Black Stars team made up of young and experienced players have fared better than Cameroon Nigeria and the Ivory Coast, teams who were originally looked upon as Africa’s flag bearers at the World Cup.

Uruguay winners of the inaugural World Cup have been one of the tournament's form teams, they have really been sound at the back and have conceded just one goal in four games at the World Cup, the first one they conceded was in the last 16 win over South Korea.

Their good strong defending has been backed up by the lethal finishing of Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez named his starting eleven for the game 48 hours before kickoff, in another unorthodox move from a coach who has brought a new sense of self belief into a country who would never have dreamt of getting this far at the World Cup.

Tabarez has made two changes to his team that defeated South Korea defender Diego Godin has been omitted as he is injured. Mauricio Victorino is his replacement while Alvaro Fernandez comes in for the off form Alvaro Pereira in midfield.

‘Black Stars’ coach Milovan Rajevac is not putting his players under extra pressure as they have the expectation of the entire African continent on their shoulders.

"We're not under any obligation to make history but that doesn't mean we don't want to," Rajevac was quoted as saying to the BBC.

Despite the game against Uruguay being a quarter final Rajevac insists it will not change the way he will approach the game "We will not change our style or worry about so-called pressure."

Ghana will be without key duo Jonathan Mensah and the highly impressive Andre Ayew who has been a revelation for the ‘Black Stars’, as they are serving a suspension and will miss the quarterfinal clash with Uruguay and will be hoping to be back for the semi-final should Ghana progress that far.

Their absence opens up the way for Isaac Vorsah who plays his club football with Hoffenheim in Germany to make a return; he was injured in Ghana’s opening game victory over Serbia and missed the games there after.

Sulley Muntari the Inter Milan midfielder is likely to step in for Dede Ayew, Muntari has played just a bit part for Ghana so far having had a fall out with the coach a few weeks ago.

With Africa’s place on the line expect a high energy, high tempo affair at Soccer City on Friday evening when Uruguay and Ghana come face to face for Ghana it is the chance to create history and become the first African team to reach the final four of the FIFA World Cup.

For Uruguay World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950 reaching the semi-final for the first time since 1970 will write a new chapter in the illustrious and rich history of the game in that country.