It is one of those moments in football that no African fan will ever forget. The 2010 World Cup quarterfinal between Ghana and Uruguay is etched into the memory of millions.
From the Dominic Adiyiah header that was blocked on the line, to Luis Suárez’s desperate handball, and Asamoah Gyan’s penalty miss that could have sent Africa into uncharted history, the night remains unforgettable.
Sixteen years later, Gyan is still unafraid to relive that heartbreak, revealing emotions that went far beyond the roar of the stadium.
While Gyan missed the decisive spot kick that would have sent Ghana into the semifinals, he scored Ghana’s first penalty during the shootout. On Rio Meets, the former Black Stars captain spoke candidly about the aftermath of that fateful match and how close he came to walking away from football forever.
AFCON is like the World Cup to me – Asamoah Gyan
“You remember after the game, we went to a penalty shootout, and I took it first. I was the first person to take it, so that was what revived my career. Going into that penalty and then scoring, that was what revived my career. I would have ended my career,” Gyan revealed.
The match itself was a rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak. Ghana took the lead in the 24th minute through a powerful strike from Sulley Muntari. Uruguay responded after halftime, with Diego Forlán’s precise free kick leveling the score and setting up a tense battle that stretched into extra time.
With just seconds left on the clock, Luis Suárez used his hands to deny a goal on the line after a header from Adiyiah, a desperate act that would become legendary. With the score still tied, the fate of an entire continent rested on penalties, a moment of nerve, courage, and destiny.
The weight of expectation, national pride, and personal pressure crushed Gyan. He confessed that after the game went to penalties, he felt mentally shattered. Yet, despite the fear gnawing at him, he knew the first kick could be a turning point.
“I was scared. I was gone. My head, my everything, was gone. But I went there and during the penalty shootout, I said to myself it was just a mistake; just go and prove to people you can score. I went there, I took it, and I scored, and that was what revived my career,” he added.
Gyan converted his kick and Stephen Appiah followed suit, but misses from John Mensah and Dominic Adiyiah proved costly as Ghana fell 4-2 in the shootout.
The defeat ended the Black Stars’ historic run at the quarterfinal stage, and more than a decade later, they are yet to return to that level at the World Cup.
FKA/MA
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