C.F Esperança de Lagos defender Edward Sarpong has opened up on his missed penalty at the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Sarpong says some of the players refused to take the penalty, hence he stood up to take the decisive penalty in a third-place play-off shoot-out against South Africa.

The 23-year-old blasted his 12-yard effort over the bar, missing a glorious chance to win the match for Ghana as they lost 6-5 on penalties.

As a result, the Black Meteors failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics which has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

"I was originally not one of the players selected to take the penalty against South Africa but after the first five had taken, no player was willing to take," Sarpong said in an interview with Saddick Adams on Instagram Live.

"Coach [Ibrahim Tanko] was calling some players to step up and kick but they all refused.

"That is why I stepped up for my country. I think that if I had not played the penalty, the referee would've ended the match as some point because nobody was willing to play."