Sports News of Tuesday, 19 January 2021

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Richmond Boakye-Yiadom explains why he couldn't play at 2013 AFCON

Ghana forward, Richmond Boakye-Yiadom Ghana forward, Richmond Boakye-Yiadom

Ghana forward Richmond Boakye-Yiadom has revealed why he couldn’t play any game at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations held in South Africa.

Boakye-Yiadom was selected among the final 23-man squad but got injured in the last training game which ruled him out of the tournament.

He scored during the Black Stars preparatory games heading into the tournament but unfortunately twisted his ankle in training.

According to him, a collision with Black Stars defender John Boye ended his dreams of playing in the tournament.

“The 2013 AFCON, anybody who watched me, saw that I was playing well. In our last game before we flew to South Africa, I collided with John Boye and he sat on my leg that was the end," he said in an interview on Accra-based radio station Happy FM.

He also debunked reports that he carried the injury to camp only to go play table tennis without kicking a ball.

“I never carried any injury to camp. I was in top form playing well at club level before joining the national team.”

Boakye-Yiadom added that he was destined to do great things at the tournament but the injury cut off his dreams.

“I knew God wanted to use me to do something in that tournament but unfortunately something happened”.

Ghana lost to Burkina Faso in the semi-finals of the tournament.