Captain of the Ghana national football team, Asamoah Gyan, popularly known as ‘Baby Jet’ struck his 50th international goal for the country against Ethiopia on Sunday during the 2019 Cup of Nations qualifier at Baba Yara stadium in Kumasi.
The venue was apt too. Gyan scored his first goal for Ghana at the same venue as a 17-year old in 2003 against Somalia, making him the youngest player to have scored for the Black Stars.
Gyan’s 50 goals have come in 102 matches. There have been tap-ins, near post headers and many blinders. He hit a beauty to send the Black Stars through to the quarter finals of the world cup for the first time in 2010.
There was his stunning effort against England in a friendly, his smashing shot past Manuel Neaur at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and one man demolition act at the 2010 Nations Cup that took Ghana to the finals of that tournament.
Here, Onua FM’s Samuel Amoesi picks out his top five Gyan goals:
Gyan’s goal against Czech Republic in the 2006 FIFA world cup
Gyan scored Ghana’s first ever world cup goal in 2006 and the fastest goals after only 70 seconds. The goal was a peach too. Gyan picked superb turn and pass from Stephen Appiah and evaded Tomas Ujfalusi, controlled with his chest before firing Peter Cech for the Czechs. He then went on to miss from the penalty spot before spurning other chances but he had made his mark in the most telling way.
Gyan had been marked out as the villain of Ghana’s failure to win the Nations Cup on home soil in 2008 but he bounced back in 2010 in remarkable style as the Black Stars reached the final.
He scored three times in the tournament but the pick of those goals was the one against host Angola in the quarter finals. With the whole stadium against Ghana, Gyan picked up a lovely pass from Kwadwo Asamoah before the then Stade Rennes striker sprinted into the box to pick his spot with an expert finish and stun the 45,000 strong crowd.
Superb finish against U. S.A in the South Africa
The year 2010 belonged to Gyan and at the world cup in South Africa he hit three goals for Ghana. The last summed him up with great show of strength, balance and finishing under pressure. When Dede Ayew hit a hopeful ball forward, Gyan seemed to lose his balance as Carlos Bocanegra shoulder barged him. But Gyan held his ground before smashing a left footed effort past Tim Howard. It was a thing of beauty. Perhaps the best goal he has scored in a Ghana shirt.
In the most high profile friendly Ghana has played in a long while at Wembley, Gyan came to the fore with a well taken injury time equalizer. Ghanaian fans had turned Wembley into a proper Ghana zone and Gyan ensured they went home with something to celebrate by twisting and turning Jolien Lescott and then picking his spot to deny England a win in the highly entertaining game.
In Franceville and with Ghana’s Nations Cup homes hanging by a thread, Gyan delivered a typical Gyan goal. Mubarak Wakasso played a stunning pass from deep within the Ghana half and Gyan gave chase with Algerian defender Carl Mendjani in pursuit. The Ghana star was too fast for him as he hit his finish to the delight of the Ghana fans. Not for the first time, Gyan has come to the rescue of the Black Stars with a fabulous finish.
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