AJ Wilson wrOTE minutes after another heart-wrenching final loss to the Ivory Coast on Facebook,Sunday night.His opinion about Andre's uncontrollable sob after the game reminded me of many things.
"Dede was crying because he felt responsible,He was scheduled to play after Jordan# # Thats what I heard oooh",his post read.
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| Fatau and captain Gyan console the distraught Andre, following yet another penalty shootout blue! |
Sometimes,it doesn't really matter if someone else grabs the headlines,methinks.
Ronaldo and portugal did same at the semis of 2012 Euros.
" Cristiano Ronaldo was partly responsible for the flawed penalty strategy that saw Portugal eliminated from the Euro 2012 semifinals before he had a chance to be the hero,Yahoo! Sports reported after the game.
Within moments of Portugal losing its semifinal to Spain 4-2 on penalty kicks following a 0-0 draw, head coach Paulo Bento claimed responsibility for the decision to put Ronaldo, widely regarded as one of the two best players in the world, fifth in the kicking order.
That strategy was designed to ensure that the 27-year-old could clinch victory, but it backfired spectacularly when Spain won before Ronaldo even had a chance to take his turn.
"I feel sad," Ronaldo said. "Losing a semifinal in a penalty shootout is always painful, but it is a lottery, the luckier team wins. The decision on who to shoot the fifth penalty was unanimous," he told reporters after the game.
However, he must take his share of the blame for the decision to place himself fifth and being left a bystander in the shootout.
Despite some confusion among fans when Ronaldo appeared to shake his head when the order was handed to match officials just moments before the penalty drama, Yahoo! Sports learned that the decision was not thecoach's alone. Prior to the tournament, Bento sat down with his assistant coaches to discuss a wide range of matters,including logistics,training schedules, and the preferred penalty order if the team was involved in a shootout during the knockout stages.
Now what I think about the AFCON final shootout loss:
The case of the Ghanaians was similar -indeed close to the Portuguese scenario at the 2012 Euro semifinals.Nobody can explain why Afriyie Acquah and Acheampong will take penalty kicks at a shootout before Andre,who is our next penalty taker after Wakaso - and then Agyemang Badu, another experienced head.
The only reason that may have happened,is synonymous with the case of Ronaldo for Portugal at the Euros.
Only differences this time,may be that:
1) It's a final
2) of the AFCON tournament,2015
3) He's thought to be taking in his superstar father's stead as one of Ghana's finest,and had to be up to the challenge,however herculean.
4) His father infamously missed the 1992 final versus Ivory Coast,in Senegal -Darkar,due to suspension,having been Ghana's best player at that tourney.
The team lost a marathon penalty shootout by 10 - 11 to Ivory Coast.
5) ...some 22 + years on,he happened to be playing the same opponents in the final,and felt he needed to cover himself,the nation and his father in some glory.
He may have wanted to be the headliner in the press tomorrow and the days after,as Ronaldo desired in 2012.
And it may have been a unanimous decision by the entire team or not.
Many top players desire that too.
So the tabloids could read:
"Andre wins elusive AFCON trophy for Ghana after 33 years"
"Star Show: Andre banishes Abedi ghost of 92"
"Ayew breaks 33-year jinx for Ghana in shootout win"
"Kick of Destiny -Son of Abedi rights the wrongs versus Ivory Coast,following familiar final"
"Ayew to the rescue,Scores winning penalty to seal first AFCON since 1982"
"Glory kick,as Andre conquers Africa at finals shootout"
"Ayew GRANTS Ghana fifth AFCON title"
"Ayew delivers GRANT's wish - trophy number 5 for Ghana"
"Ayew's glory kick,Grant's blue polo shirt wins Ghana fifth AFCON"
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| Former BlackStars physical trainer and coach of ivory Coast Herve Renard consoles Andre |
For some reason,the gamble flopped and here we are.
Perhaps the decision,like in the Ronaldo case which was unanimous - coach - technical team - playing body etc., failed to come off.
And it back-fired!
In the end,it's Boubacar Barry,making his seventh AFCON finals (as in participating in his seventh championship),who won it -and will expectedly hug the headlines for a long time to come.
The heartbreak was evident,the emotions were all over ,the tears would not stop.
Ghanaians are devastated,but Andre feels the devastation more.
He knew this was the opportunity.But it was not to be.
THEY knew they were close, yet far away from breaking that longstanding jinx. We'll have to wait just a little more to win something again, soon!
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| Andre uncontrollably wept after seeing the trophy slip away to the Ivorians |
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