Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew has seen his remarkable 12-year record of penalty perfection for Ghana come to an end after his spot-kick was saved during the national team's 2-0 victory over Somalia in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The veteran forward had converted all nine of his previous penalty attempts for the senior national team since 2014, establishing himself as one of Ghana's most dependable players from twelve yards.
However, that extraordinary streak was halted in the 14th minute at the Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium when his effort was kept out by Somalia goalkeeper Ibrahim Hussein.
The penalty had been awarded after Alidu Seidu was pulled down inside the box, presenting Ghana with an ideal opportunity to take an early lead. Ayew stepped up with his usual composure, but Hussein guessed correctly to deny the captain what would have been his tenth consecutive successful penalty for the Black Stars.
Despite the setback, Ghana recovered to secure a crucial victory that belatedly kick-started their qualifying campaign. The Black Stars had lost their opening two Group C matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia, a run that led to the departure of coach Carlos Queiroz by mutual consent.
Ghana women's coach Kim Bjorkegren was placed in interim charge for this month's double-header against the Ocean Stars, with the West Africans in danger of missing a second successive edition of the Afcon finals.
The hosts broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when Mohammed Salisu headed Mohammed Kudus's deep corner back across goal and Jonas Adjetey nodded in from six yards out. Felix Afena-Gyan doubled the advantage just after the hour mark when his shot from inside the box squirmed under Hussein and over the line.
The four-time continental champions remain six points behind group leaders Ivory Coast, who extended their 100 per cent record by beating The Gambia 2-1 in Bouake.
Ayew's miss serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of football, even for the most reliable performers. Despite the personal setback, the captain remains an influential figure in the Black Stars setup, bringing leadership and experience to a team navigating a difficult qualifying campaign.
