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| Asamoah Gyan after penalty miss |
She has come close to winning trophies but narrowly missed out o the lottery of penalty shoot-outs in 1979,1992,1993,1997,2013 and 2014 that rendered the nation heart broken and spiritless.
Accra Hearts of Oak led by a solitary goal netted by John Yawson in the first leg of the then African Clubs Championship Final in 1979 against Cameroonian side Union Sportive Douala the decisive leg in Yaonde on December 16 ended by the same scoreline after goalie Joseph Antoine Bell leveled from the spot leaving the keen contest to be decided on penalties. During the shoot-out, Simon Awuah missed consigning the Phobians to a 3-5 defeat before an extremely wild and provocative crowd.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko succumbed to a 6-7 loss on penalties to Zamalek of Egypt on December 12,1993 in the then African Clubs Championship Final played in Cairo after both legs finished goalless.
The Black Statellites were stunned by the Young Pharaohs of Egypt on penalties on March 31 2013 in the African Youth Championship Final played at the Ahmed Zabana Stadium in Iran. Jeremiah Arkorful dew first blood only for Saleh Gomaa Ouda to grab the equalizer plunging the nail-biting contest to be decided on penalties. Mike Anaba's missed kick paved the way for Hossam Ghally to slot home the winner.
The Almighty Black Stars have also had their fair share of the "cake". When Suarez presented the Stars with the gift of "last minute" penalty which would have made the nation the first African country to have made it to the semi-finals on the world stage, the nations's favorite son Asamoah Gyan single handedly squashed that opportunity.The Black Stars were sent home in the penalty shoot out that followed making Luis Suarez the nation's number one"enemy".
THE BIG QUESTION... DO OUR NATIONAL TEAMS AND CLUBS PREPARE ADEQUATELY FOR PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS?
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