African Champions’ Cup. This issue was a rarity in the history of the competition – almost normal! Only Lybian champions Al-Nasr withdrew in the first round. The representatives of the leading countries reached the semifinals and there penalty shoot-outs decided the finalists: Entente Setif (Algeria) eliminated Al-Ahly (Egypt) 2-0, 0-2, and 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out. Similarly Nigerian Iwuanyanwu eliminated FAR Rabat (Morocco) 4-1, 1-4, 5-3 in the penalty shoot-out. High drama and significantly both winners prevailed away from home.
The final did not go to that: in Ibadan Iwuanyanwu won 1-0, but at Constantine they were destroyed 4-0 and the Cup went to Algeria.
Here is a moment from the finals – hard to tell what is celebrated: looks like a goal scored, but in the official records there is no goal scored in the 23rd minute in any leg.
First Leg:
Ibadan, November 26, 1988
Iwuanyanwu Nationale: Ansah, Madu, Obi, Ekpo, Godwin Eke, Uwe, Ozogula, Ukaegbu, Uwakwe Eke, Oliha, Uzokine.
Entente Sétif: Osmani, Nabti, Adjes, Bernaoui, Serrar, Boulehdjilet, Rais, Zorgane, Rahmani,
Adjissa, Doudou.
Referee: Idrissa Traoré (Mali)
Second Leg:
Constantine, December 9, 1988
Entente Sétif: Osmani, Adjas, Nabti, Bernaoui, Serrar, Boulehdjilet, Bendjaballah, Zorgane, Gherib,
Adjissa, Rahmani.
Iwuanyanwu Nationale: Ansah, Benson, Toyin, Levi, Godwin Eke, Uwe, Ekarika, Ukaegbu, Uwakwe Eke, Ekpo, Ozdgula.
Referee: Badara Sene (Senegal)
Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Owerri) confirmed the steady ascent of Nigerian football. They lost, but still reaching the final was a triumph.
ES Setif was the second Algerian club winning African cup. Back in 1976 Mouloudia d’Algiers won after penalty shoot-out drama – ES Setif bettered that with a clean victory.
In the home leg they were supreme, leaving no doubt who deserves the trophy. Their first! And in the year when they were relegated from First Division, as it happened.