Nwankwo Kanu, Samuel Eto'o & the Top Five penalty misses by stars at the Afcon
The Top 5 penalty misses by stars at the Afcon
Posted: 2012-02-10 09:10
Five high-profile players who have missed spot-kicks in crucial Africa Cup of Nations matches, costing their teams victory when it mattered the most.
When Gabon's golden boy Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang saw his crucial penalty kick stopped by Malian goalkeeper Soumaila Diakite in the quarter-final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, or when Asamoah Gyan had his kick saved by Kennedy Mweene in the semi-final, it was a rerun of a well-worn script.
Over the years, many of football's most talented figures have collapsed under the enormous pressure of a shoot-out.
Marco Van Basten at Euro '92, Roberto Baggio at USA '94, David Beckham at Euro 2004 and David Trezeguet at Germany 2006 are some of the well-documented cases. In Africa, stars like Samuel Eto'o, Nwankwo Kanu and Didier Drogba have had to carry the burden of a penalty miss on their shoulders for years.
Like Emerick-Aubameyang and Gyan, these players were in their prime and everyone expected better from them. But they have risen beyond that miss and gone on to greater things.
5. ANTHONY BAFFOE – GHANA VS COTE D'IVOIRE
Senegal 1992 Final
It was the final game of Afcon 1992 when Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire played to a goalless draw at full time. After a series of penalty kicks that saw every player take a turn – the first occurrence ever at such a level on the international scene – Ghana's star defender Anthony Baffoe stepped up to take the 12th kick for his side.
Elephants goalkeeper Alain Gouamene threw the ball to the Ghanaian as he walked deftly towards the spot. The defender stepped back a few metres and hit a right-footed shot into the left corner as Gouamene scooped it up with his outstretched arm to claim the Ivorians' first continental trophy, ending the spot-kicks at 11-10 in Cote d'Ivoire's favour.
4. EL HADJI DIOUF – SENEGAL VS CAMEROON
Mali 2002 Final
Senegal had a young team at Mali 2002 that was led by enfant terrible El Hadji Diouf at the height of his powers. The final match against Cameroon ended goalless after extra time and it required penalty kicks to decide the Afcon champions. Diouf stepped up to the spot as the shoot-out was at 3-2 in favour of Cameroon.
The Senegalese forward walked lazily towards the ball and hit a low right-footed shot at Alioum Bukar's goal post. The shot went just past the left upright to leave the young star distraught. The next couple of spot-kicks were spurned and the Indomitable Lions won their second consecutive title. Senegal were left high and dry.
3. DIDIER DROGBA – COTE D'IVOIRE VS EGYPT
Egypt 2006 Final
After seeing off Nigeria's challenge with his lone strike in the semi-finals of the 2006 Afcon, Didier Drogba looked to be headed for a first continental championship. Against the hosts, Drogba could not find the back of the net in regulation time.
And so it was down to penalty kicks to break the deadlock. Drogba missed his first kick for the Ivorians as the Egyptians went on to win 4-2. It was a major disappointment for the big forward, who had performed brilliantly throughout the tournament.
2. SAMUEL ETO'O – CAMEROON VS COTE D'IVOIRE
Egypt 2006 quarter-final
In this quarter-final encounter at the 2006 Afcon in Cairo, Cameroon saw their hopes crumble as they played the competition's record longest penalty shoot-out against Cote d'Ivoire after the game had ended 1-1 in regulation time.
Star forward Samuel Eto'o took the second kick, and the 12th for his side after every player had converted theirs. The striker's shot sailed over the crossbar as Drogba coolly scored for the Elephants to send them into the semi-finals with an astonishing final score of 12-11.
1. NWANKWO KANU – NIGERIA VS CAMEROON
Ghana-Nigeria 2000 Final
The final game of Afcon 2000 between Nigeria and Cameroon ended 2-2 after extra-time. The co-hosts were lucky to have clawed back against the Indomitable Lions in front of a packed Lagos crowd. When the penalties came, young Nwankwo Kanu, who received his second African Player of the Year accolade from Caf at the beginning of the tournament, stepped up to take the third kick.
With a languid run towards the ball, Kanu's tame effort that was kept out by Alioum Bukar. The Cameroonians won the trophy 4-3 on penalties, their second triumph over Nigeria in an Afcon final. For many years after that fateful day, Nigerians would hold their breaths whenever Kanu stepped up to take a penalty kick.
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