Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has decided against taking penalties for the Black Stars as a mark of respect to his late mother.

The 26-year-old striker has been Ghana’s number one penalty taker since 2006 although he has missed two crucial kicks in recent times.

Gyan missed a last minute penalty at the 2010 FIFA World Cup which effectively robbed Ghana of a historic semi-place against Uruguay.

He became number one public enemy after a semi-final penalty miss against Zambia at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The Al Ain hitman suffered a lot of backlash which forced him to take a break from international football but he insisted he will continue taking spot kicks for Ghana.

Gyan has now made a sharp u turn to this earlier decision – explaining he is only heeding to the advice given by his mother who passed last Tuesday.

“No. I will no longer take penalty kicks for Ghana,” he told Accra-based Asempa FM.

“My mother had advised me not to no longer take penalties.

“And now that she is gone, I will like take this advice.

“I will not go in to take penalties for Ghana.”

Gyan’s decision will be hailed by many who were of the view he is just not cut for taking spot kicks for Ghana especially when needed the most.

It will however serve as a massive disappointment to many who believe the Ghana captain should lead by example especially when it comes to stepping up to take penalty kicks.