Posted by Berekum Chelsea center back Zakaria has labelled Edward Sarpong a liar for claiming no player was wiling to step up and take the decisive penalty against South Africa at the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Edward Sarpong who took one of the kicks and missed had recently in an interview with Saddick Adams opened up on the incident, claiming none of the players wanted to step up and take the decisive penalty.
“I was originally not one of the players selected to take the penalty against South Africa, but after the first five had taken, no player was willing to take”
“Coach [Ibrahim Tanko] was calling some players to step up and kick but they all refused.
“That is why I stepped up for my country. I think that if I had not played the penalty, the referee would’ve ended the match as some point because nobody was willing to play”.
However, Zakaria Fuseini who was a member of the team has in an interview with Sylvester Ntim ‘Koke’ of Bryt FM rubbished those claims, labelling Edward Sarpong a liar.
“He is a liar because no one said that he will not play neither afraid to play.
“If we were afraid to play, how come other players step forward after he blotted his effort? He quizzed.
“After the first five had taken their penalties we told ourselves that anyone who is courageous should step up. So after the first five, no one pointed any player to step up”
“Though it is true that the coaches were calling some players to take it and to be honest, I was the one but because of the cloud at the stadium I didn’t hear it. Before I realized the coaches wants me to step up, Sarpong had move about 15 meters. So I decided to allow him play” he ended.
Ghana eventually lost the penalties 6-5 and failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics which has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.