[ 2015-01-26 ]

Asamoah-Gyan: I still feel sick
Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan is not yet over a bout
of malaria but a dramatic last-gasp goal after he
got out of his sick bed has revived his country's
hopes at the African Nations Cup.

"It's a really bad disease, it really takes
everything out of you. I still feel weak and I was
in hospital last week and missed our first game,"
Gyan said on Saturday.

He was speaking the day after his stoppage time
winner in Mongomo gave Ghana a much needed 1-0
victory over Algeria in Group C and put them right
back in contention for a quarterfinal place at the
tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

"Although I was not fit for the game, the players
said they needed me and had confidence in me. I
said to myself I had to sacrifice something for
the team," he said in an interview.

Gyan's remarkable burst of pace took him past
defender Carl Medjani before he swept the ball
across the keeper into the net to secure a vital
win after Ghana lost in similar circumstances to
Senegal in their opening group match last Monday.

"It's one of the most important goals in my career
at international level. It was important for the
team and it was important for me personally. What
a great feeling," he said.

"I could see it coming. I scored a similar one at
the 2010 World Cup against the US in extra time in
Rustenburg but this time it was on the right and
last time on the left."

Gyan, who missed a penalty at the 2010 World Cup
that would have seen Ghana become the first
African side to reach the semifinals, received
fulsome praise from new coach Avram Grant who
called him one of the best players he had ever
worked with.

"It's very inspirational coming from a coach who
has handled big teams and players like he has. His
words add energy, I really appreciate that," Gyan
said of Grant, who has been in charge of Israel
and several club sides including Chelsea.

"Most important now for me is to sleep and try and
shake this," added Gyan, who is unlikely to miss
their final group match against South Africa in
Mongomo on Tuesday with both sides needing a win
to have any chance of staying in the tournament.

Source - SuperSports

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