On this day 7 March 1999 (Exactly 22 years ago today) Ghana’s Black Satellites made the nation proud as they took away the Africa Under-20 Championship title by beating Nigeria’s Flying Eagles 1-0 in the final match of the eleventh edition played at the Accra Sports Stadium in Accra .
A 39th-minute superb strike by midfielder Laryea Kingston was all that the Satellites needed to lift the trophy for the second time (1993 and ’99)
President Jerry John Rawlings decorated the Satellites with the gold medals and presented the trophy to skipper Hamza Mohammed amidst wild cheers from the crowd including then Vice-president professor John Atta Mills, FIFA president Sepp Blatter and CAF president Issa Hayatou.
In addition, the Satellites received a Compact Disc each of Daddy Lumba’s “Aben wo ha” album, donated by Despite Music Productions. Nigeria had the silver medals and picked the Fair-Play Cup, donated by President Rawlings.
Cameroon, who had earlier beaten Zambia 2-1 in the third place play-off, received the bronze medals.
The goal-king award went to Guinea’s skipper Bangoura Osumane, who scored the highest four goals.
Ghana Line up : Sammy Adjei, George Blay, Hamza Mohammed, Kofi Amoako/Emmaneul Adjogu, Issa Abdul Rahman/Theophilus Amuzu, Abdul Razak, Owusu Afriyie, Laryea Kingston, Baffour Gyan, Aziz Ansah, Johnson Eklu/Awuley Quaye Jnr.
Nigeria Line-up : Sam Okoye, Ikenna Eneh, Emmanuel Izuagha, John Aranka, Haruna Babangida/ Joseph Yobo, Garba Hashimu, Aminu Sani/Moses Aduku ,
Musa Abubakar, Pius Ikeda, Rabiu Afolabi , Sunday Adu.
Elsewhere;
On this day 7 March 1987 (Exactly 34 years ago today) Ghana’s Azumah Nelson successfully defended his WBC World featherweight title with a sixth round knockout victory over Mauro Gutierrez of Mexico at Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
On this day 7 March 1992 (Exactly 29 years ago today) Ike Quartey knocked out Dindo Canoy of the Philippines in round 12 for vacant WBC International light-welterweight title at the Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana
On this day 7 March 1987 (Exactly 34 years ago today) Mike Tyson beat James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith in 12 rounds for WBA heavyweight boxing title a the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, USA
On this day 7 March 1996 (Exactly 25 years ago today) With seven assists against Sacramento in the visiting Lakers’ 102-89 victory, NBA Hall of Famer, Magic Johnson became the second NBA player to register 10,000 career assists after John Stockton
On this day 7 March 2009 (Exactly 12 years ago today) Neymar made his professional debut for Santos , despite being only 17 years old; he was brought on for the last thirty minutes, in a 2–1 win against Oeste.
On this day 7 March 2016 (Exactly 5 years ago today) Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova revealed failed drug test for meldonium at Australian Open in January , she was subsequently suspended for 15 months
BY: GEORGE ‘Alan Green’ MAHAMAH
