Asamoah Gyan debunks claims of penalty duty fracas with Stephen Appiah

Former Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan has shed light on the crucial penalty miss during the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Uruguay, denying any rift between himself and Stephen Appiah over who should take the spot kick.

Gyan had the opportunity to secure Ghana's historic advancement to its first-ever World Cup quarter-final with a penalty in the final minute of extra time, following Luis Suarez's handball offense.

However, his shot hit the crossbar, shattering the hopes of many Africans and Ghanaians as Ghana ultimately lost 4-2 on penalties, despite Gyan converting his spot kick in the shootout.

Speaking to Accra-based Onua TV, the 38-year-old clarified the situation, affirming that he was the designated penalty taker at the time, and Appiah didn't contest his decision to take the kick.

"Stephen [Appiah] was bringing the ball to me for the penalty. It was clear I would take it because I had scored against Serbia and Australia. He approached me after the final whistle and encouraged me to take the first penalty in the shootout against Uruguay," Gyan explained.

Despite the heartbreak of the missed penalty, Asamoah Gyan, who remains the Black Stars' all-time leading scorer with 51 goals in 109 appearances, has undoubtedly brought pride to the nation, although the memory of the 2010 miss will linger.