Darwin Nunez tries to STAMP on the penalty spot by kicking through a crowd of Ghana players

Darwin Nunez has been booked for appearing to step on the penalty spot in an attempt to mess up the pitch after Ghana were awarded a first-half penalty against Uruguay.

The Liverpool striker was one of several players from both sides who surrounded the referee inside the Uruguay box before Ayew’s shock penalty missed, and footage appears to show his attempts to blow up the penalty spot.

The 23-year-old was booked for what the referee deemed an attempt to scratch up the grass and make it much more difficult for the Ghana captain to convert from 12 yards out.

Darwin Núñez saw the yellow after stepping on the penalty spot in an apparent attempt to scratch the grass

As it was, Ayew was unable to capitalize on the initiative handed to his side and put the Black Stars ahead in the early stages of the first half, though it’s unclear if Nunez’s actions had anything to do with this. .

The former Swansea striker was unable to get the ball past Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, who awarded the penalty, after the keeper dived low to his left to keep his team level.

Uruguay then scored twice in six first-half minutes to lead 2-0 at halftime in a game that could see either team join Portugal in the knockout rounds.

Núñez’s booking was his first notable action in Qatar, as he has so far neither scored nor assisted.

Entering referee Daniel Siebert’s book, Núñez made his first notable impact at the World Cup in Qatar.

Liverpool’s record signing had not scored or assisted before the game in what has been a quiet campaign for both him and his side, who were equally goalless before kick-off.

The clash between the Black Stars and La Celeste is steeped in World Cup history, following Luis Suárez’s infamous deliberate handball off the goal line in 2010 with Ghana looking to become the first African team to reach the semi-finals. .

Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored twice in the first half to give Uruguay a 2-0 lead at halftime

His exploits resulted in a penalty for Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan, which the former Sunderland striker could only hit off the bar.

Suárez was seen celebrating from the tunnel after being sent off for denying a scoring opportunity, and subsequently missed out on the semi-final loss to a Gio van Bronckhorst strike for the Netherlands.

Suárez, in fact, returned to haunt the Ghanaian fans with an assist for the opener, which Giorgian de Arrascaeta headed home, before the pair combined once more six minutes later to make it 2-0.

More to follow.