Former Ghanaian international, Prince Tagoe, has revealed that it was Coach Milovan Rajevac’s decision for Stephen Appiah to take the crucial penalty against Uruguay during the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals in South Africa.
The Black Stars were tantalizingly close to securing a spot in the semi-finals when a late penalty was awarded to Ghana. However, Asamoah Gyan’s missed opportunity from the spot forced the game into a penalty shootout, ultimately resulting in Ghana’s 4-2 loss to Uruguay.
Tagoe disclosed that it was not Coach Milovan’s intention for Gyan to take the penalty but rather Stephen Appiah. He explained that Milovan Rajevac was delayed in communicating the decision to Appiah, which allowed Gyan to grab the ball and take the penalty.
In an interview on Angel TV, Tagoe, a key member of Ghana’s World Cup team in 2010, stated, “I was on the bench, and when we were awarded the penalty, Coach Milo wanted Stephen Appiah to take it. However, he couldn’t relay the message to Appiah in time, and Gyan took the ball from him.”
Prince Tagoe played a vital role in Ghana’s World Cup campaign in 2010. Despite his preference for the center-forward position, he was deployed on the wings by head coach Milovan Rajevac, who opted for Asamoah Gyan as the lone striker upfront. Tagoe featured in all three group stage matches but couldn’t make the impact expected of him, leading to his replacement in the starting lineup by Samuel Inkoom in the knockout stage.
At 36 years old, Prince Tagoe is fondly remembered for his achievements, particularly when he was named the top scorer in the 2004/05 season of the Ghana Premier League with an impressive tally of 18 goals.
