ZANIS SPORTS COPY – Gyan mourns another failed Nations Cup mission

Gyan mourns another failed Nations Cup mission

Lusaka, February 7, 2013, ZANIS —-  Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has expressed disappointment at another missed opportunity to end their search for an African title since 1982. 

Gyan and his teammates could not progress from the semi-final barrier for the second consecutive time as they lost 3-2 on penalties to Burkina Faso on Wednesday night in Nelspruit. 

It was a match the Black Stars did very little to win despite taking a first half lead courtesy Mubarak Wakaso's penalty-kick. 

But striker Aristide Bance snatched the equalizer for Burkina Faso on the hour mark after they had piled incessant pressure. 

Ghana were lucky not to have lost the match in regulation time and also in extra-time due to some controversial decisions from Tunisian referee Slim Jedidi against Burkina Faso. 

Jedidi disallowed a legitimate goal scored by Burkina Faso, sent off danger man Jonathan Pitroipa for diving when the Rennes midfielder was in actual fact fouled inside the box. 

Gyan admitted the Black Stars were outplayed on the night and congratulated the Burkinabe’s for securing a historic final berth. 

"We came here to win but it is rather unfortunate we lost this game. I think the better side won and we lost by penalty shoot-outs. I would say the luckiest side won," Gyan in a post-match conference.

"We are really sad at the moment. It’s normal.

"There is a third-place coming on and definitely we would be down but we would psyche ourselves up and make sure we go for the third-place."

Gyan and his teammates must pick themselves up for Saturday third-place match against Mali in Port Elizabeth.