On this day 16 Niveo 2003, (Exactly 19), Asamoah Gyan scored on his national team debut against Somalia in the second half of a World Cup qualifier.
The 17-year-old striker who would turn 18 less than a week later came on in the 62nd minute, helping Ghana to win that game, and making him the youngest ever player to score for the Black Stars.
Emmanuel Duah gave Ghana the lead in the 25 and doubled it in the 56th minute.
Isaac Boakye made it 3-0 in favour of the Black Stars, before Asamoah Gyan added his name on the scoresheet in the 84th minute.
Boakye in the 89th minute executed the coup de grace to hand Ghana a 5-0 victory at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The former Sunderland striker has since bagged 51 goals in the shirt of the Black Stars.
Asamoah Gyan after registering his 50th milestone goal as Ghana mauled Ethiopia 5-0 in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers said his best goal was scored against Somalia in 2003.
“I have scored a lot of goals as everybody knows but I will say the goal I scored against Somalia in 2003 is my memorable goal as it was my debut appearance for my country at the senior level,” Gyan said.
On an individual level, the former Udinese striker has ingrained his name in Ghana’s football history. 51 goals in a record 109 appearances for the Black Stars sees him as the nation’s all-time top scorer.
In the history of football, only 68 male players to date have scored at least 50 goals with their national team at senior level.
On the 19th anniversary since Gyan bagged his maiden goal for the Black Stars, the Ghanaian football fraternity has celebrated him for his illustrious football career.
Gyan will be forever remembered for his goals.
Both teams line ups:
Ghana Line – up: Sammy Adjei, Aziz Ansah/ Lawrence Adjei, Addoquaye Pappoe, John Mensah, Samuel Osei Kuffour, Michael Essien, Bernard Don Bortey, Hamza Mohammed, Nana Arhin Duah/ Asamoah Gyan, Isaac Boakye, Stephen Appiah/ Yakubu Abubakari
Somalia Line-up: Abdulkadir Shek Osma, Yussif Ali Egal, Mohamed Abdulai Muhudin, Hussein Meigag Mohamed /Abdifitah Mohamed Said, Abdulusis Salad Awale, Musdaf Hassan Omar, Osman Omar Wakil, Isse Aden Abghir, Yussif Ali Nir, Mohamed Abdulai Shek/ Abdulwahid Abdi Farah, Abdul Kadir Omar Ibrahim.
