It was a tough afternoon for Leicester City and their captain, Jordan Ayew, on 31 January 2026, as the Ghanaian forward missed the first penalty of his professional club career during a 2–0 Championship defeat against Charlton Athletic at the King Power Stadium.
The miss came in the 56th minute with Leicester chasing the game. Fellow Black Stars teammate Abdul Fatawu Issahaku had drawn a foul inside the box with a skilful run and was adjudged to have been brought down, awarding the host side a golden chance to get back into the contest.
Ayew, typically known for his reliability from 12 yards, sent Charlton keeper Jakub Stolarczyk the wrong way, but his effort struck the post and stayed out, a rare lapse of precision that left the home crowd stunned and Leicester with much more to do.
The missed spot kick was significant not only because of the match situation, but because it marked the first time Ayew had failed to score from the penalty spot in his club career.
The Ghana captain has taken penalties regularly throughout his time in English football and, before this moment, had an excellent record from the spot.
Ayew has scored 19 penalties and 1 missed, which came from the game against Charlton. Penalty kicks are widely recognised as one of football’s most pressured disciplines. Even elite players can misfire, as seen on the global stage where quality footballers sometimes miss despite their prowess.
The miss came at a crucial moment. Leicester had already been reduced to 10 men just 15 minutes into the game after defender Caleb Okoli received a straight red card, leaving Ayew’s side with an uphill battle throughout.
Charlton took advantage of the extra man, taking the lead through Sonny Carey in the 36th minute and doubling their advantage just before halftime via Lyndon Dykes.
Despite Ayew’s opportunity to spark a comeback, the miss kept Leicester trailing by two goals and ultimately contributed to their home defeat.
Ayew was later substituted as Leicester continued to seek momentum, with Patson Daka introduced late in the match.