BLACK STARS

After lighting up Africa 2010 The '˜Black Stars' of Ghana have dimmed tonight in the most dramatic match of the tournament so far.
For one in particularly,
Ghanaian international Asamoah Gyan, his evening has been one of torment and despair. In the dying seconds of extra time Gyan was handed the opportunity to put an African team into the semi finals for the first time ever with a spot kick awarded for handball by Uruguay's Luis Suarez on the goaline. Sadly for Gyan he struck the bar and as the red carded Suarez exploded with relief in the tunnel area, the referee blew for full time and penalties.
What followed broke hearts and caused rivers of tears across the dark continent as the Uruguayans kept their nerve and Ghana lost theirs to reach the last four. Come the end Asamoah Gyan broke down and all attempts by his team mates to console him proved futile as the realisation of his penalty miss struck home.
In that moment the immeasurable weight of expectation placed upon the 28-year-old broad shoulders simply overwhelmed him and as the bar shuddered with the ferocity of Gyan'˜s strike, across Africa they howled in despair. Again, where politicians, preachers and tin-pot Generals had failed endlessly the power of football had once more shown itself to at least temporarily unite an entire continent in support of Ghana.
Now, as the dream dies and the last African team departs the post mortem on the continent's poor showing will begin. In a place where many scientist believe mankind began, the '˜cradle of civilisation', teams such as Cameroon and the Ivory Coast, both of whom so much more was expected will have to start again.
Pele's much quoted prediction that an African nation would in time win the world cup appears further away than ever. A thought not lost surely on Asamoah Gyan as he attempt to recover from this most darkest of nights for himself and the '˜Black stars'.

Cfieldsoffire@aol.com