Black Stars Coach Kwesi Appiah
Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah is mystified over the Black Stars inability to win penalty shootouts following their defeat against Tunisia at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nation.
Ferjani Sassi struck the winning spot-kick as Tunisia beat Ghana 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out to secure their place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
The Carthage Eagles had led through Taha Khenissi’s 73rd-minute opener but their substitute Rami Bedoui headed an own goal in the closing moments to force extra-time.
After the extra 30 minutes ended goalless, Ghana’s Leeds forward Caleb Ekuban was the only player not to score in the shoot-out and it was left to Sassi to coolly convert and secure Tunisia a last-eight clash with Madagascar.
"In several competitions Ghana have lost on penalties but it's something that we've been working since we started camping in Dubai and even yesterday but when it comes to penalties, it can go either way so it's difficult to judge why the country is not performing during penalties," Appiah stated after the game.
Ghana last won the Africa Cup in 1982 following a 7-6 penalty victory over Libya after drawing 1-1 in regulation time.
Since then, the four-time Africa giants have lost two Nations Cup finals on penalties to the Ivory Coast in 1992 and 2015.
Ghana also lost in the shootout against Uruguay in the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
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