On this day 24 April 2004(Exactly 16 years ago today) Kumasi King Faisal routed Power Dynamos FC of Zimbabwe 4-0 in the second-leg of their CAF Confederations Cup second leg match played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Faisal therefore qualified for the next stage of the competition on a 5-0 goal aggregate having beaten their opponents 1-0 in the first leg match played in Zimbabwe two weeks earlier .
Faisal opened the scoring in the 11th minute through Abubakari Yahuza whose power drive beat goalkeeper Tafiadzwa Dure who failed to make a first time save.
Spurred on by the early goal, Faisal continued to probe for more goals and nearly had it in the 19th minute but Kwabena Poku failed to connect Eric Gawu’s in-swinger.
Sensing danger, Dynamos brought in Munyaradzi Mashri for Andrew Chifamtazi in the 21st minute to strengthen the attack and it nearly paid off but Ednura Nutama’s erratic shot went off target in the 27th minute.
Faisal determined to carry the day raised the score to 2-0 in the 28th minute through skipper Hamza Mohammed who delivered a shot to the blind side of the goalkeeper.
The second goal did not however seem to dampen the fighting spirit of Dynamos as they counter attacked and earned a corner kick in the 40th minute but failed to utilise it.
Abubakari Yahuza scored Faisal’s third goal in the 44th minute with a terrific shot which hit the roof of the net to end the half with three goals in favour of Faisal.
On resumption, it was Faisal who were still on top flight as they came close to increasing the tally in the 60th minute but Eric Gawu’s shot sailed over the bar to the amazement of crowd.
Faisal replaced Kwabena Poku with Godwin Ablordey in the 63rd minute but it was the visitors who threatened as they made attempts at goal in the 65th and 66th minutes to awaken goalkeeper Suraj Mohammed to make brilliant saves from Dynamos substitute Maxwell Dube’s free kick and Mutama’s close range shot.
Faisal again brought in Samuel Thompson for Abass Inusah in the 67th minute and Prince Antwi for Joe Agyemang Jnr in the 74th minute to strengthen the defence and attack.
The Zimbabweans sensing defeat, changed their pattern of play managing to hold the attacking machinery of Faisal at bay in a bid to beat down the scores but their attempt was not enoughe as Eric Gawu sealed their doom with an 87th minute goal to bring the final score to 4-0.
On this day 24 April 2010 (Exactly 10 years ago today) Professor Francis “Padigo” Dodoo was elected as Chairman of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA).
The election was conducted at the maiden National Delegates’ Congress of the Association in Kumasi with the election of officers to steer its affairs.
Prof. Dodoo polled 15 votes out of the total 17 ballots cast to win the chairmanship position after he beat his only contestant, Mr Mahama Abdul-Rahman, who polled two votes.
Other officers elected were Dr Silvanus Lamptey, Vice-Chairman, Mr Mensah Amepofio, National Organising Secretary and Mr Richard Agyapong, Treasurer.
This was the first time the GAA had gone to Congress to elect its officers in agreement with the International Athletics Association Federation’s (IAAF) rules and regulations.
The Association formerly had its Chairman and other officers appointed by the National Sports Council (NSC), a situation which the IAAF deems to be government interference.
Prof. Dodoo, a former national athlete, was earlier on a year before appointed by the NSC but the IAAF nullified his appointment and insisted that the GAA should go to Congress to elect its officers. Mr James Owusu, a retired educationist who chaired the Congress, urged the newly-elected officers to be committed to duty to benefit athletics in the country.
Prof. Dodoo promised that the new executive would explore avenues to develop athletics at all levels in the country.
On this day 24 April 2015 (Exactly 5 years ago today) Emmanuel ‘Game Boy’ Tagoe lived up to his word by totally outclassing his Filipino foe, Joebert Delos Reyes at the Accra Sports Stadium to continue his march towards the much craved world title dream.
Tagoe was at his pugilism best, flooring Reyes four times on the way to a 4th round stoppage of Reyes in front of his boss, Asamoah Gyan on the BabyJet promotions bill codenamed ‘Legendary Fists’ in the Ghanaian capital.
Tagoe showed his intents in the very first round, opening with a dominant flurry of punches, jabs and uppercuts so much the 25 year old Reyes could find no answers to resulting in a knockdown in the opening round.
The Filipino managed to beat the referee’s count to finish the round and even handle the incessant pressure from the Ghanaian in rounds two and three.
However the fourth round will prove the undoing of Reyes following a dominant performance by Tagoe who sent his opponent to the canvas three times, that the referee had no choice than to stop the bout with just a quarter of the 12 scheduled rounds gone.
Tagoe who had vowed to realise the childhood dream of world championship glory, was full of praise for his BabyJet promotions team after he was decorated with the WBA title.
“I am very grateful to my team for all their support, my boss Asamoah Gyan has also done well always calling me to find out how I’m doing and giving me everything,” Tagoe said at ringside.
“I also thank Joshua Clottey for taking his time to come to my training to advice me and all other former champions including Ike Quartey for their continued advices,” Game Boy added.
He concluded: “I have the talent, God blessed me with this talent and am working hard and surely with the support of my team and everyone else I am going to bring the world title.”
On this day 24 April 1880 (Exactly 140 years ago today ) Amateur Athletic Association, governing body for men’s athletics in England & Wales, was founded in Oxford, England
The Amateur Athletic Association of England or AAA (pronounced ‘three As’) is the oldest national governing body for athletics in the world.
Historically it effectively oversaw athletics throughout Britain. Now it supports regional athletic clubs and works to develop amateur and youth category athletics in England alone. This includes the English Cross Country Association.
Three men from Oxford University were responsible for the founding of the Amateur Athletic Association – Clement Jackson, Montague Shearman and Bernhard Wise. The first AAA Championships were held on the 3 July 1880 at Lillie Bridge. Dame Marea Hartman was the first woman president of the AAA when she was appointed in 1991.
The AAA of England was formed in 1991 following the merger of the previous AAA and the Women’s Amateur Athletic Association (formed in 1922). The WAAA held the first WAAA Championships in 1923. It is now headquartered in Wincham in Cheshire West and Chester, towards the east of Northwich.
BY: GEORGE ‘Alan Green ‘ MAHAMAH
