Asamoah Gyan returns from 5-year penalty break with penalty miss

Ghana’s captain and talisman Asamoah Gyan registered his 51st international goal for the Black Stars against the USA with a stupendous free-kick but it wouldn’t come without controversy as he missed a penalty earlier in the game, five years after stating he won’t take penalties for the team again.

Gyan missed a penalty against Burkina Faso in the 2012 Africa Cup of nations semi-finals clash against Zambia and he received a barrage of criticism, including scores of fans marching to his parents’ home to offer their displeasure, leading to his decision of not stepping up for penalties again for the national team, which according to him, was an advice from his late mother.

Moments after missing from the penalty spot in the Black Stars’ international friendly with the USA, Gyan struck an absolute beauty of a free-kick from 25 yards to bring the scores to 2-1 in favour of the Americans.