The torment of Asamoah Gyan will be double after another vital penalty miss for Ghana and their resultant elimination from a major tournament.
The Black Stars striker had an early spot kick saved in Wednesday's African Nations Cup semi-final against Zambia in Bata, an opportunity that, had he converted, would likely have taken his side on to victory and a place in Sunday's final.
But a fine save from Kennedy Mweene, after a split second of indecisiveness from Gyan, kept Zambia in the match, and despite some jittery defence and heart-stopping moments allowed the southern Africans to go on to a surprise win in the Equatorial Guinean town.
Gyan won worldwide infamy, and sympathy, for missing a penalty in the last minute of extra time against Uruguay in the World Cup quarter-final in mid-2010.
Had he scored then, the Black Stars would have become the first African team to advance to the semi-finals of the World Cup. But his shot blasted over the top and is now part of the sorry lexicon of woe around the continent's performance in its favourite sport in the world's biggest sporting competition.
Gyan probably had a momentary "flashback" as he stepped up to take the penalty on Wednesday, for his brief hesitation before striking the kick allowed Mweene to guess which way the ball was going and tip it around the corner.
Ghana were the better team but Zambia's defiant defence, not always organised and often shambolic, held firm. Emmanuel Mayuka's goal to secure the late win was a superb finish from a player who now has German Bundesliga clubs chasing him.
But for the Black Stars, the wait for a Nations Cup title now extends past 30 years. They won the last of their four titles in 1982 and have since seen the Egyptians surpass them on the ladder of overall success.
With the title now becoming a desperate quest for Ghana, it seems increasingly elusive with each attempt.
They had a good team at this tournament but they ran out of steam and ideas in their fifth match. Instead of going to Libreville on Sunday, they now have the ignominy of a bronze medal match in Malabo 24 hours before.
