Uruguay's Oscar Tabarez names team for Ghana; Diego Godin out

Uruguay coach Oscar Taberez said on Wednesday injured defender Diego Godin would miss the World Cup quarter-final match against Ghana as he named his side a full 48 hours before the match.

Mauricio Victorino, who performed well after coming on for Godin at halftime against South Korea, will start in his place in Friday's match, Tabarez told a news conference.   

Godin, a stalwart in a backline that has conceded only one goal in four matches, sustained a thigh injury in the 2-1 victory over South Korea.    

"He is not fully recovered. He is not in the team because in my opinion he is not 100 percent fit," Taberez said, adding he was not sure if Godin would even be on the substitutes' bench. "We still have 48 hours," the coach said.

Tabarez also said he would bring in Alvaro Fernandez for Alvaro Pereira in midfield.  

The coach, known as The Master because of his days as a schoolteacher, often names his team well before a match. Asked by reporters to do so on Wednesday, he simply shrugged his shoulders and rapidly reeled off the names.

They were Fernando Muslera, Diego Lugano, Mauricio Victorino, Jorge Fucile, Maximiliano Pereira, Diego Perez, Egidio Arevalo, Edinson Cavani, Alvaro Fernandez, Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan.

Uruguay's South Africa campaign has been their most successful since 1970, when they came fourth. They failed to qualify for five of the nine tournaments since then, denting the pride of a small nation that cherishes the memory of their World Cup triumphs in 1930 and 1950. 

Although coach and players are not underestimating the power and pace of Ghana, the South Americans have a realistic chance of beating the Africans and going through to the semi-finals.

The defence, marshalled by captain Diego Lugano, denied early opponents France, South Africa and Mexico any goals and they conceded just one to South Korea.

Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez have clicked in attack, scoring five goals between them.                                           

The ever-patient Tabarez said his team were well prepared for the match.

"We are calm. But we know the important thing is the match, not how we feel today," he said.                                           

The squad leave their base camp in Kimberley, their home for the past month, for the last time on Wednesday afternoon and will set up camp in Johannesburg.