Zambian goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene has pooh-poohed Asamoah Gyan’s decision to quit the Black Stars following his penalty miss against the Chipolopolo at the 2012 African Cup of Nations.
Mweene claimed they will beat Ghana in their decisive World Cup group clash in September in Kumasi to force the striker to retire again.
In an astonishing attack on the Black Stars captain, Mweene stopped just short of calling Gyan a coward for his decision to quit the national team over the death threats and intense criticism he suffered after missing the penalty at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
The tough-talking goalminder started the psychological battle ahead of the 2014 World Cup group decider since arriving in Accra this week on a training tour of Ghana with his South African club Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mweene started by claiming God favours Zambia ahead of Ghana and now criticized the decision of the former Sunderland hitman to retire from the national team temporarily.
The ex-Free State Stars man predicted victory for Zambia in the final group game in Kumasi in September, stressing the defeat will force the Ghana captain to retire permanently.
“I don’t know why he (Gyan) retired but I believe as a footballer you should have the heart to be able stand criticism,” Mweene said when referring to Gyan’s decision to quit.
“That is your job and so as far as you wear the national jersey people will talk. If they are not happy they will talk.
“You don’t just stop playing because people are criticizing you. I don’t know what happened in his case but I think it was wrong to retire.
“May be he should be ready to retire permanently because I know we’ll beat Ghana in Kumasi to qualify.
“We want to go to the World Cup and nobody can stand in our way including Ghana.”
The comment by the 28-year-old could spur the Ghana captain on to silence him by delivering a sucker punch during their meeting in Ghana’s second largest city.
The fixture has generated so much controversy with both teams deploying various psychological skirmish to outwit each other.
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