Often described as an exercise of lottery in the game of football, penalty kicks have become an essential element in football matches.
After the introduction of penalty kicks in 1891 as a foul in the 18-yard box as a direct free kick with only 11 meters to the goal, many have ascribed the conversion ratio of penalty kicks as either a technique or the mere exercise of luck.
Over the years, great footballers like Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard, Marco Vansten and Cristiano Ronaldo have tried to perfect the art of scoring from 12 yards but not without glaring statistics of their misses.
In recent times, Ghanaian and Leicester City attacker, Jordan Ayew has
proven that scoring from the 12 yards box is purely an art which needs
to be practised and perfected.
The 33-year-old son of Legendary Abedi Pele, Jordan Ayew has a 100 % conversion rate with 16 goals scored with none missed. With 109 caps for the senior national team and over 530 club appearances for Marseille, Sochaux, Lorient, Aston Villa, Swansea, Crystal Palace and Leicester City.
Jordan has scored an impressive 16 penalty goals across for club and country with stunning dexterity.
After scoring from the spot kick in a tension-packed game in the mauling of Equatorial Guinea 3-0 in the Semifinal game of the 2015 AFCON, the young attacker has since developed himself as a player with the best goal-scoring tally in recent times.
Ex-Ghana goalie Fatau Dauda now the current goalkeeper’s trainer for the senior national team revealed why the ex-Marseille attacker is very clinical in the box.
“is time for us the players to learn the technique, if you learn the
technique trust me…… Let me give you one guy, Jordan when I was in
the National team sometimes after training the coach will give 15 minutes for individual work out (Jordan) will play penalties with me and tells if you save one I will give you 50 Dollar, Dollar we are talking about but am unable to save them” Fatau Dauda praised the qualities of the Ghanaian attacker during an interview session with Daniel Oduro on Ghanaweb TV.
In recent times, Chelsea attacker, Cole Palmer has come closest to Jordan
Ayew with 15 goals with none missed in his career. Football greats like
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 168 penalties and missed 31 thus a conversion rate of 85% with Lionel Messi scoring 109 penalties and missing 31 putting his rate at 78%. Polish striker, Robert Lewandowski also boasts of an enviable record with a 91% conversion rate with 9 misses.
From the above, though the Ghanaian attacker has played fewer penalties in his career his conversion rate surpasses football icons on the globe.
The equanimity and the ability of Jordan Ayew to read the directions of
goalkeepers before taking kicks could be studied to help Ghanaian players improve their abilities in the 18-yard box.
