GHANA Football Legacy

AUGUSTINE ARHINFUL "Gentle Striker":

Photo: Arhinful playing for the Black Stars in an international friendly against the Oranje of Netherlands on 13th October 1998 under coach Guisseppe Dossena.

This match was the first major match for the Black Stars in the immediate post Abedi Pele/ Tony Yeboah era.

NATIONAL TEAM FOOTBALL:
Having been dropped for the 1991 U-17 World championship, Arhinful finally seized his chance to play as the first choice striker for the Black Satellites (U-20) at FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia in 1993. His goals and contribution helped Ghana reach the final, where Ghana lost 2-1 to Brazil.

Arhinful also represented Ghana at Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics. Ghana was kick out at the quarter final stage after losing 4-2 to a Ronaldo Nazario inspired Brazilian side.

Arhinful then went on to represent Ghana at the 2000 AFCON co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria. This happened to be his only AFCON appearance.

BURKINA 1998 AFCON:

Photo (L-R): Emmanuel Osei Kuffour 'General', Abedi Ayew 'Pele' and Eric Pappoe Addo warm up during the 1998 Africa Cup of nations in Burkina Faso.

ERIC ADDO:
A 19 year old Eric Addo born in Accra but bred in Belgium joined the Black Stars after completing his nationality switch just before the start of the tournament, having represented Belgium at the junior levels of national team football. Addo played in midfield during this tournament and went on to play another AFCON in 2008 hosted by Ghana. He also played in the 2006 FIFA World cup for Ghana.

E. OSEI KUFFOUR:
Newly recruited Hearts of Oak star from Ebusua Dwarfs played at right back for the Black Stars in this tournament stepping into the big shoes of Frank Amankwah who wasn't called up for this AFCON. He played his role well in the tournament albeit Ghana got eliminated at the group stage. Kuffour will go on to play 2 more AFCONS for Ghana at AFCON 2000 and 2002. He indeed was the team captain for the 2002 AFCON in Mali.

ABEDI PELE:
This was captain Abedi Pele's 5th and final AFCON tournaments after representing Ghana at AFCON 1982, 1992, 1994 and 1996. Abedi did NOT play for the Black Stars again after the final group match against Congo where Ghana lost 1-0 and got eliminated.

EDMUND COPSON: A key Member of the Famous '64 Battalion' squad During the Glorious Days of Hearts of Oak.

Photo: Eddie Copson 'Ginseng' playing for Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports stadium in the 2000 Premier league season.

COPSON AT HEARTS:
Eddie Copson was a Kotoko player swapped directly with Hearts of Oak's Godwin Ablordey in the 1998 Ghana premier league season.
Copson famously scored the winner for Hearts of Oak against Kotoko in Kumasi in 1999, as Hearts did a double over their arch rivals that season. Copsn helped Hearts of Oak win the premier league titles in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. He also won treble including the CAF Champions league and FA cup in 2000. He also won the African Super Cup in 2001.
Copson played a key role in Hearts' successes in central midfield partnering the likes of Joe Ansah, Lawrence Ajah-Tetteh and Abdul Razak.

LEGENDS PROPER:
A young 'Golden Boy' Karim Abdul Razak of Kumasi Cornerstone challenges giant Malik Jabir of Asante kotoko in the Old 1st Division League in 1974 league season @ the Kumasi Sports Stadium.

TRANSFER TO KOTOKO:
The most significant football milestone involving Asante Kotoko and Kumasi Cornerstones in 1975 was the high-profile transfer of Ghanaian midfield legend Karim Abdul Razak. Often referred to as the "Golden Boy," Razak was unveiled by Asante Kotoko in 1975 after a standout stint with local rivals Cornerstones from 1972.

Abdul Razak’s move from Cornerstones to Asante Kotoko is widely considered one of the most defining Ghanaian football transfers of the 1970s. He later went on to win the 1978 African Footballer of the Year award.

League Standings: During the 1975 domestic season, Asante Kotoko finished as League Champions, while Kumasi Cornerstones finished further down the table in 7th place.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO LEGENDS:
Abdul Razak joined Malik Jabir at Kotoko in the 1975 season and they won the league title that season.

Malik Jabir coached Abdul Razak in 1987 after Razak returned to Kotoko from Arab Contractors of Egypt. Kotoko won the league title that season.

Photo Credit: Abdul Karim
Photo Recolouring Edit: Abdul Rashid Zakari

ASEC ELIMINATED KOTOKO IN KUMASI (1992):

Photo: Frimpong Manso on the ball against Asec Mimosas player in the 2nd leg of the quarter final of the Africa Cup of Champion Clubs @ the Kumasi Sports stadium in 1992.

MATCH:
Kotoko lost 3-2 to Asec in Kumasi in the 2nd leg due to an inspired performance and goals from Abdulaye Traore (Ben Badi) and "white witch doctor" coach Phillipe Troussier on the bench of the Ivorian champions.

Kotoko had impressively won the 1st leg 2-1 in Abidjan.

Asec Mimosas went through to the semi final on away goals after the tie ended 4-4 on aggregate.

Photo Edit Credit: Abdul Rashid Zakari

SAARRAH MENSAH:

Photo: The late Saarrah Mensah (facing camera) at the training grounds @ the Coronation park on his return to Bofoakwa Tano after Bofoakwa regained promotion to the Ghana premier league in the 1995/96 season. In number 3 shirt is head coach and club legend Dan Owusu.

CAREER:
Saarrah started his career at Bofoakwa in the early 1980s before his transfer to Asante Kotoko in 1984. At Bofoakwa he famously scored 2 goals against Kotoko in their league match at Sunyani, where Bofoakwa defeated league champions Kotoko 2-1.

He made his name at Kotoko as he won 2 league titles with kotoko. He scored the winning goal for Kotoko against Hearts of Oak in the 1987/88 league season as Kotoko won 1-0. Kumasi. He also scored in the famous miracle of Kumasi match as Kotoko thumped Zamalek 5-1 at Kumasi in 1987 after losing the 1st leg 2-0 in Cairo during their qualifiers final clash in the Africa club for Champion Clubs competition.

He played for Kotoko till 1988 and moved to Tonnerre Yaounde in Cameroon where he reunited with former Kotoko teammate Windsor Kofi Abbrey.

Saarrah signed for Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca in the 1990 season. He returned to Ghana to play for B/A United in the 1992/93 league season. He later rejoined his boyhood club Bofoakwa Tano and played for 2 more season from 1995 to 1997.

Saarrah also played for the Black Stars from the late 1980s till 1991. He famously scored the winning goal for Ghana against Nigeria in the 1992 AFCON qualifier at Kumasi as Ghana won 1-0. He also scored against Togo and Benin in same qualifying series. Unfortunately, he missed out in the 1992 AFCON.

May his soul RIP 🕊

GENERAL:

Photo: Emmanuel Osei Kuffour "General" tackling Morocco legend Mustapha Hadji as Black Stars of Ghana come up against Atlas Lions of Morocco on June 8, 1997 in a FIFA World cup qualifier in Casablanca.

MATCH:
Morocco beat Ghana 1-0 courtesy of Khalid Raghib in the 77th minute after a seemingly perfect goal scored by Abedi Pele was disallowed by referee Magassa Sidi Bekaye. Morocco thus qualified for France 1998 FIFA World Cup at the expense of Ghana.

AFRICA'S BEST RIGHT BACK IN THE MID-1990s.

Photo: Frank Amankwah playing for AFRICA XI Vs EUROPE XI friendly match played @ the Estádio de la Lux in Loisbon, Portugal in 1997.

MATCH:
Frank Amankwah and Abedi Pele were the only 2 players selected from Ghana.

Africa XI won 2-1, with goal coming from Abedi Pele (14th min) and Mustapha Hadji (78th min), Europe XI had their equaliser/consolation by Vincent Guérin (43rd min).

AFRICA FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR 1991, 1992 &1993:

Photo: Abedi Pele playing for Ghana Black Stars against the super Eagles of Nigeria in the semi-finals of the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Senegal.

Ghana won 2-1. Abedi Pele scored in the 43rd minute to equalise Mutiu Adepoju's opener. Prine Opoku 'Polley' scored the winner in the 54th minute

Though Abedi missed the final through suspension after receiving a 2nd yellow card in the tournament against Nigeria, was voted BEST PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT by CAF. Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah were the only Ghanaian players to make it in the CAF Team of the Tournament.

AFRICA FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR AWARDS:
Until 1993, the Africa footballer of the years awards was by organised by France Football Magazine. CAF started theirs in 1993. That year while FFM offered the award to Abedi Pele, CAF later controversially offered theirs to Rashid Yekini of Nigeria who the plied his trade with Vitória de Setúbal in Portugal at the time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO FORMER BLACK STARS CAPTAIN CHARLES KWABLA AKONNOR

Photo:
C.K Akonnor playing for Black Stars of Ghana against Atlas Lions of Morocco on June 8, 1997 in a FIFA World cup qualifier in Casablanca.

MATCH:
Morocco beat Ghana 1-0 courtesy of Khalid Raghib in the 77th minute after a seemingly perfect goal scored by Abedi Pele was disallowed by referee Magassa Sidi Bekaye.

Enjoy your day to the max captain!