Don't you cry Aubameyang

Having never played real football in my life, I can only imagine what it feels like to miss a penalty kick or have it saved.

Having watched football keenly for more than two decades, I know that it hurts. It hurts even if you’re leading by three goals to nil but it hurts the most when your club or country is dependent on that kick. On Sunday night, the whole of Gabon had their hopes on the dependable Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to lead them to glory and into their first semifinal of the Africa Cup of Nations, ever!

You know what happened. Aubameyang, who had been the star of the Gabon side, scoring three goals in the group stages, became the only player to miss, or rather have his penalty saved by Mali goalkeeper Soumaila Diakite.

Up until this point the 22-year-old striker, who plays for Saint Etienne in the French Ligue, had emerged as the “player to watch”. His fast pace and skilled footwork impressed even the most conservative critic and already there was talk that bigger clubs would come knocking for his signature.

For some reason, as he stepped forward to take his penalty kick, I couldn’t help the sick feeling in my stomach that was telling me he was going to miss. All I could base that feeling on was the fact that he was an emerging superstar and the “talk of the town” (talk of the continent actually).

As the tears started to flow down his baby-faced cheeks, as Gabon was eliminated, I felt like whispering to him that everything would be okay. He had played well and proved his ability.

The penalty miss was tragic for an entire nation and the sympathisers who were rooting for Gabon but I would like to tell Aubameyang to pick himself up and get back to work. After all he isn’t the first great talent to miss a crucial penalty.

Greater players have not been spared the misfortune.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney should almost be replaced as the penalty taker in the Manchester club. He seems to miss more than he scores when he does that run, skip and jump move before a penalty.

On Saturday night the former African player of the year Didier Drogba missed a penalty when Ivory Coast were still at 0-0. That must have hurt although they had time to repair the damage. Drogba picked himself up and scored two open goals in the game.

This isn’t quite the same as Aubameyang’s as it was still early in the game.

Who can forget the Africa Cup of Nations 2006 final – Ivory Coast v Egypt in Cairo? The match had ended 0 – 0 after extra time and a penalty shootout beckoned. I was at a barbecue in Nairobi with friends and everyone in the room was supporting Ivory Coast. When Bakari Kone missed the second penalty for Ivory Coast our hearts sank. There was a sigh of relief when Egypt’s Abdel Halim Ali missed their third penalty.

As Didier Drogba stepped forward to slot in Ivory Coasts’ fourth take, I got that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach; the same one I got as Aubameyang stepped forward. As expected, but not in character, Drogba shot way off the bar, giving the Egyptians their fifth Afcon title and starting what would be three championship wins in a row.

Just to sum up on the barbecue, the meat and wine suddenly wasn’t so tasty and within minutes everyone left the venue.

I can’t quite remember but I believe Drogba shed a tear after that miss. He went on to win the African Footballer of the Year Award that year and become top scorer in the English Premier League in the 2006/7 season.

Aubameyang, it’s not the end of the world.

Outside of Africa international superstars have poor penalty memories too.

David Beckham had his worst penalty run ahead of and during Euro 2004. In the group game against France he had a penalty saved by Les Bleus keeper Fabian Barthez; who at the time was also his Manchester United teammate.

England still made it to the quarter finals where they met tournament hosts Portugal. That game ended 2-2 but, during the penalty shootout, again it was Beckham who disappointed. Darius Vassel had his penalty saved but Beckham shot his straight into the stands after what appeared to be a slip in the mud. It was an incident that became the butt of many jokes, with rugby fans saying he was playing the wrong sport. What a great drop kick that would have been.

Beckham recovered from that incident and has gone on to have a great career with the biggest clubs in the world.

Aubameyang, it’s not the end of the world.

The most famous of all penalty misses has got to be the one that was adapted into a heartfelt advert for Jonny Walker.

World Cup 1994 The final. Italy v Brazil. Roberto Baggio. He had been the darling of Italy throughout the tournament and it was his efforts that qualified them for the World Cup and got them to the final. A draw after the final whistle meant a penalty shootout. Even though Baggio wasn’t the only Italian to miss, his “goal in the sky” made the loss of the World Cup final, final.

After getting over the shock and disappointment, Baggio went on to write a bestseller titled: “Una Porta Nel Cielo” (A Goal in the Sky).

Baggio is still one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced the game.

I urge Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to pick himself up and get on with the business of playing football. It has happened to the best of the best. He is a great player regardless of missing that penalty and he will become an even greater player if he can learn from that incident.

The young striker has at least a decade of top-flight football to play if he can stay fit and healthy and he needs to focus on that.

Up until now (ie before the semifinals), Aubameyang has been one of my best and most promising players of Afcon 2012.