On 11 December, 1983 (Exactly 35 years ago) Kumasi Asante Kotoko defeated Al Ahly of Egypt by a goal to nil to become champions of the Africa Clubs Champions Cup. Kotoko had drawn the first leg by goalless and thus won 1-0 on aggregate.
Sunday, 12 December 1982 at the Kumasi Sports stadium, and Sunday, 11 December 1983 at the same venue show two contrasting scenes. Indeed no two scenes can be so dissimilar.
Sunday, 12 December, 1982, a sullen, ill tempered crowd streaking out of the Kumasi Sports Stadium. Asante Kotoko had failed to lift the Africa Cup of Champions Clubs trophy, losing to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
Sunday, December 11, 1983 a hysterically jubilant crowd singing to the praises of the Almighty God and to the gods of Ghana.
Asante Kotoko had turned the night of Sunday December 12, 1982 into the day of Sunday, December 11, 1983. Al Ahly of Egypt, had been dethroned and Asante Kotoko had become the occupants of the coveted continental throne.
There was little between the two highly polished sides until the 21st minute when Egyptian central defender Saleh in an attempt to clear a midfield lob handled and the ball went straight to winger Bannerman.
Algerian referee Hansal gave the advantage by waving play on and as the nimble winger raced with the ball glue to his feet towards the far corner little did any one expect anything good out of it.
But it happened. An intelligent cross was not within the reach of three Egyptian defenders rushing back to defend. But then striker Opoku Nti who had an unusual passive performance, showed the extent to which the champions still rely on him for goal scoring by stretching and shooting past goalkeeper Thabet El –Batal.
Kotoko won their first Africa Clubs Champions Cup in 1970 and added that of 1983. To date Kotoko has not been able to repeat this feat again.
Kotoko Line-up: Joe Carr, Ernest Apau, Kwasi Appiah, Seth Ampadu, Addai Kyenkyenhene, Yahya Kasimu, John Bannerman, Papa Arko(Cap), Ebo Mends , Opoku Nti, Isaac Afranie
Subs: Albert Asaase , Francis Agyemang, Akye Erzuah, Ahmed Rockson, Karim Abdul Zito, Akwetey Quaye (JoeTex)
Coach: Ibrahim Sunday
Team Manager/ Assistant coach: Malik Jabir.
Masseur: Omono Asamoah
Chairman: Yaw Bawuah
Chairman of African Cup Planning Committee: Assad Mallah
Al Ahly Line Up: Thabet El-Batal / Hossam El-Badry / Maher Hammam / Mahmoud Saleh / Osama Orabi / Mohamed Amer / Magdi Abdel Ghani / Taher Abouzaid / Moustafa Abdou / Mahmoud El-Khateeb / Zakaria Nasef / Khaled Gadallah
On this day 11 December 2008(Exactly 10 years ago) Joseph Agbeko defeats William Gonzalez by majority decision at the Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, US Retained IBF bantamweight title
On this day 11 December 1981(Exactly 37 years ago) Muhammad Ali’s 61st & last fight, losing to Trevor Berbick at Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, Nassau, Bahamas
By the end of his boxing career Ali had absorbed 200,000 hits
Story by: George “Alan Green” Mahamah
