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Ati-Zigi making a save during the Group H match between South Korea and

Ghana at the Education City Stadium in Qatar

Hundreds of Ghanaian supporters around the world may have been stiff worried when the na­tion’s two top goalies – Joojo Wallocott and Richard Ofori were omitted from the Qatar World Cup for sustaining 11th-hour injuries.

What it meant was that Ghana would desperately be compelled to lean on its third-choice goalkeeper – Lawrence Ati-Zigi.

It was really an unsettling piece of news to the Ghana­ian football populace because of the erratic Ati-Zigi’s past atrocious performances in Black Stars’ colours, commit­ting a string of school-boy errors and conceding some ri­diculous goals in the process.

The most recent of Ati-Zi­gi’s flop was in June this year during a four-nation tourna­ment in Japan – known as the Kirin Cup, where the host na­tion hammered the Stars 4-1 with Jordan Ayew grabbing the consolation for Ghana.

So uninspiring was the St Gallen goalkeeper’s output that he was hauled out of the third-place game and replaced by KAS Eupen goal­keeper Abdul Manaf Nurudeen – who turned hero after sav­ing two penalties to salvage the blushes of the Ghanaians.

It was against this sat­urnine backdrop that many expressed disappointments when the first and sec­ond-choice goalies dramati­cally picked up injuries on the last week of the unveiling of the final-26 for Qatar.

Expectations were that goalkeeper Manaf was go­ing to take the number one spot, believing he wielded the character and mental strength to man the posts better. Wrong! The coaches and technical team thought otherwise.

They may have seen some­thing special about Ati-Zigi that was not common to the ordinary eye. Perhaps!

As fate may have it, the ‘Zigi-man’ was named first-choice against Portugal in a taxing Qatar World Cup Group H opener that Ghana lost 3-2. The defeat, notwithstanding, the St Gallen shot-stopper was marvelously sharp on the night as he pulled a plethora of saves.

If his performance against Portugal was imposing – that against South Korea was mo­mentously mind-blowing. In­deed, but for his bravado, the Koreans would have pulled level at the dying embers of the sweltering fixture.

First, Ati-Zigi clawed out Lee’s late dipping free-kick and endured the sort of game that makes you wonder why anyone would want to be a goalkeeper.

He had also saved well from Cho Gue-sung when Ko­rea Republic finally managed an effort on target, and the man from St Gallen’s handling and command of his penalty area were both assured.

You could hardly blame him on the goals that he con­ceded; the back-line having Cho to do the damage.

Indeed, there is not a keeper in Qatar who would have been able to deny the irrepressible Cho.

When Ghana overcame the disappointment of their two-goal advantage being wiped out in the blink of an eye to restore the lead, it was time to bolt up and preserve the points – as the Koreans con­tinued to torture the Ghana­ian backline.

Limpidly, the Ghanaian goal-tender could easily have garnered away the man-of-the-match prize – only licked to it by compatriot Mohammed Kudus, whose two fatal finishes earned him the coronet.

Ati-Zigi himself took to so­cial media to thank his maker in appreciation of a bravura performance that came 24 hours ahead of his 26th birth­day (November 29).

“You’ve done it again Lord, you’re good. You’re mighty and you’re merci­ful. You give me more than I deserve. I’m forever grateful Lord”, he wrote on Twitter.

Indeed, after the game, social media was awashed with a transport of ecsta­sy from Ghanaians as they sang in praise of the Black Stars’ goalie who made four heart-stopping saves and five recoveries at the 40,000-ca­pacity Education City Stadi­um.

“Ati Zigi is better than De Gea but Manchester United fans will argue,” a Twitter user, @__Sharyf said.

“Massive and impressive performance from Ati Zigi really kept us in the game,” another tweeted.

For Ghanaian entertain­ment journalist, Olele Sal­vador: “Ati Zigi, the stone that the builders rejected, became the chief cornerstone today! Thank you for your service.”

Only six months back, he was lampooned, demonized and caricatured for a bad performance. Today, he has mushroomed from villain to hero.

As of the time of putting these thoughts together, the Zigi-man was getting ready for his third game at the World Cup against Uruguay. The match would have been played before this piece comes out. Just hoped he did some great work, yet again!

By John Vigah