Kingston wins 79th cap on birthday

(William Dodzi Ezah, GNA Special Correspondent, Pretoria South Africa)

Pretoria, June 15, GNA - Ghana's number one goalie, Richard Kingson, won his 79th cap for the Black Stars a day after his 32nd birthday, and crowned it with a spectacular performance against Serbia in the opening match of the Group D, in the ongoing 2010 World Cup soccer in Pretoria.


Kingson, Ghana's regular shot-stopper since 2006, was at his usual best as he made spectacular saves to deny Milos Krasic in the closing stages of last Sunday's game, on a day which he was rarely tested, but proved his worth with an amazing response from Krasic's goal-bound effort.


In the latter stages of the game, the goalie again ensured that the score line was intact with another significant save that could have cancelled the lead for the Black Stars.


Kingson prior to the competition was widely criticised for his performance in the friendly game against Holland, as he picked four goals from his net.


For many, the goalie was not in the best form for an international tourney and should pave way for other younger ones, but he defied the odds and guided Ghana to win her first game.

In a brief interview after the match, Kingson expressed delight at the victory, which also comes a day after his 32nd birthday, saying "it is a good feeling".


He said the remaining matches were very important to the team, adding that the concentration of the team was now on the next match.


"We have to win that match to ensure we qualify to the next stage of the competition, it is very important". He stated.


The Wigan goalie made his Black Stars debut on March 27, 1996 during an international friendly with Brazil and has shuttled in and out of the team except for the last four years.


After Sunday's game, some the Stars players soaked the veteran goalie in water and liquid to celebrate the special day and the celebration continued in the dressing room.

Records available at the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) indicate that Kingson remains the most capped Ghanaian player surpassing that of the legendary Abedi Pele Ayew.


Three other players of the Black Stars will mark their birthdays during the period of the first ever World Cup on African soil.


Right-back John Pantsil will turn 29 on Tuesday, June 15, and central defender Isaac Vorsah will mark his 22nd birthday on June 21, forty-eight hours to the Stars final group fixture against Germany in Johannesburg, whilst Hans Sarpei, undoubtedly the oldest player in the Stars set-up will turn 34 on June 28.