Penalty Shootout Loss Leaves Black Stars Devastated As Ivory Coast Hoist Second African Cup

After a nerve wracking 120 minutes, penalty shootouts was needed to break the deadlock in the AFCON finals; and as is quite customary for Ghana, they lost to Cote d’Ivoire the honour of lifting the 2015 African Cup of Nations.

The very definition of déjà vu, the 9-8 loss mirrored in more ways than one, that from 1992 when Ghana lost on penalties to Ivory Coast in another Nations Cup final.

An uneventful 120 minutes of regulation time produced little chances, as both sides were at their cautious best. The game itself took a while to settle down, as nerves and an overly defensive approach stifled the creative football both sides have shown on their trek to the final.

Cote d’Ivoire started the stronger of the two, but Ghana grew into the game as the half wore on. Midway through the half, Atsu almost handed Ghana the lead; but his shot from the edge of the box struck the upright with Boubacar Barry beaten.

Dede went closer a few minutes later, finding himself in the box after Rahman’s pinpoint pass. His shot also struck the bar, the angle too tight for him to get the shot on target.

For the few chances they created Cote d’Ivoire remained cautious. Knowing Ghana’s threat on the break, they never rushed forward recklessly thus leaving the Stars unable to hit them with their pace on the counter.

Not much of import happened in the second half, a few skirmishes that rarely threatened a goal. Extra time was not much better, and as the clock ticked away the feeling that penalties would be needed to break the tie looked inevitable.

Grant made two changes in the second half of extra time, Frank Achaempong and Emmanuel Agyeman Badu. If they were brought on for their penalty prowess, it is a decision that horribly backfired.

Ghana took a swift 2-0 lead in the shootout, as the Ivorians missed their first two. Afriyie Acquah and Achaempong then missed in succession which sent the contest into sudden death.

From then on, it was a test of wills which Ghana was always going to lose. We have a propensity to lose in these situations, and it is because when it comes down to it, our teams cannot summon that last ounce of mental strength to get over the finish line.

So after leading 2-0, Ghana somehow conspired to lose the shootout; Barry saved Brimah’s kick, then stepped up to convert himself and send the Ghanaian players into misery.

In the end it was not to be, and the Ayews followed in their father’s footsteps in losing a painful final on shootouts.