AFCON CAMEROON 2021 Afcon 2013 : Asamoah Gyan refuses to play penalties for Ghana

Asamoah Gyan captain of the Ghana Black Stars has revealed he will not take part in playing penalties in the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

He missed spot-kick that would have put Ghana in the semi-finals of World Cup 2010 and again in the semi-finals of last year’s Nations Cup.

After suffering several insults and accusations from his fans and colleagues Asamoah Gyan wouldn’t want to step up again.

“I have decided not to take a penalty for the national team,” he said.

“Most of the biggest players have missed penalties – Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Diego Maradona – all great players”. On a bad day it can happen.

“But I said some months back that I wouldn’t take another penalty. Before my Mum died [in November] she told me not to take penalties anymore.”

Gyan failed to years ago to convert a penalty against Uruguay at the end of extra-time in their World Cup quarter-final, which would have won the game and made them the first African side to reach the last four in the history of the World Cup.

He again missed in February where Ghana had a semi-final against Zambia, who went on to win 1-0 and then beat Ivory Coast in the final and took the cup that year.

During that month Gyan said: “It’s been very hard for me mentally, to miss two important successive penalties for my country.

“I never fully recovered from the 2010 World Cup and now the 2012 Africa Cup of Nation.”

Asamoah Gyan went on an exile and returned in August, and in October he was given the responsibility as the Black Stars captain replacing John Mensah.

Campaign for Ghana kicks off against the Democratic Republic of Congo on 20 January and will also face Mali and Niger in Group B.

Read also:

http://en.africatopsports.com/2013/01/10/afcon-2013-count-on-me-to-score-gyan


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