African Champions’ Cup. A general note on African football this year: the performance of Cameroon at the 1982 World Cup brought international focus at last. One would imagine that Europeans would be interested later and cover the African game better. Instead, the club football in 1983 was even more remote and hidden than before. And that, when the continent displayed better order and probably was in better financial shape as well. Only 3 teams withdrew in the African club tournaments, two of them were from Guinea Bissau, most likely dew to political problems. 36 teams started in the Champions Cup – higher than usual number. But the tournaments left almost no trace… Contrary to what is normally expected, the World Cup success of Cameroon did not transform into club success – even stranger, because the country was highly successful on club level recently. Also strange is the fact, that even the tournament winners pay no attention to the moment of glory to this very day – nothing can be found at the clubs internet sites, not even pictures. Impossible to tell why is that.
As for distribution of power – it depends on who one listens to. From aside, it is weird to see that the semi-finalists came from Zambia, Senegal, Egypt, and Ghana – Egypt was kind of understandable, the others… the dark continent, who knows what is going on there, except that the lack of consistency was the universal explanation. It differs when one reads continental observers: biased or not, they considered Ghana, Senegal, and Zambia better than most and Ghana, in particular, an old and constant power. And the final was between Ghana and Egypt – Asante Kotoko vs Al-Ahly. Given the results, it was tough final. Asante escaped with scoreless tie in Egypt and prevailed 1-0 at home.
Al-Ahly, one of the oldest, strongest, and very popular clubs in Egypt failed to concur Africa this year. May be the reason why the club’s website mentions the final only in passing.
Asante Kotoko is also shy about this victory. True, it was not their first – they won the Champions’ Cup back in 1970. But it was still their second continental trophy and won in a stronger competition the first one.
Standing left to right: Salifu Ansah, Kwaku Kyere, George Arthur, Kwasi Appiah, Asare Boateng, Saarah Mensah
Front row: Rauf Iddi, Opoku N’ti, Abdul Razak, Kodwo Addae Kyenkyenhene, Sarfo Gyamfi.
This most likely is not a photo of the winning squad – but it is from the period, the key participants are here. May be some local legends, but, internationally, unknown players. Evaluation of their status is further complicated by the names: Gyamfi, Boateng, Appiah, Mensah are names appearing frequently and easily confused. Perhaps the only known player was Opoku N’ti, for he played successfully in Europe later in the 80s. It could be said that the success of Asante this year placed him on the ‘map’ and eventually transferred him to Europe. The almost complete absence of information about the winners does not change the great fact: they won the African Champions’ Cup in 1983.