Former Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan has opened up about his missed penalty in the 2010 FIFA World Cup for Ghana Vs Uruguay
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Nana Darkwa Gyasi, host of Sports Pack 1 on Max 89.7 FM, Tuesday 21st October ,2020, Asamoah Gyan revealed that it still hurts him and sometimes haunts him when he is alone.
“There are more crucial penalties, most of them were taken by me. It is not my biggest regret. Why should it be my biggest regret? It was something that went wrong so definitely people will have their own opinion,” Asamoah Gyan said.
Reminiscing about his crucial penalty miss in Ghana’s 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter final clash Vs Uruguay, Asamoah Gyan said he would prefer to forget about it.
“However, me personally it hurts me but I sometimes become philosophical with it and say to myself it’s just football,” he continued.
Gyan, further said “I regret missing the penalty because I would have made history for Ghana. Sometimes it haunts me, especially when I am alone it haunts me. My mind replays the event and I end up wishing God would rewind time. However, it is not something that will happen again.”
In the match, towards the end of extra time at the 120th-minute, with the scoreline stuck at 1-1, Luis Suarez was sent off for a goalline handball clearance, leading to a spot-kick for Ghana. The handball prevented Dominic Adiyiah from scoring the winner for the African nation. In came Gyan, his country’s talisman to take the penalty. The former Sunderland man’s penalty went straight towards the crossbar, out of Fernando Muslera’s reach.
Having missed the penalty, Gyan did convert his spot-kick in the shootout, but the South American side edged past 4-2 on penalties.