On this day 9 December 1973 (Exactly 46 years ago today) History was made when Zaire became the first sub- Saharan African country to to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals after beating Morocco at home.
There are some football matches that will never be forgotten, memorable clashes that awaken feelings of joy or pain in the hearts of players and spectators alike whenever they come up in conversation. And one encounter that most definitely belongs in this category is Zaire’s FIFA World Cup tournament qualifier against Morocco on 9 December 1973.
On that fateful night in Kinshasa, the Ebony Leopards of Zaire became the first sub-Saharan African side to reach a world finals.
The summary
9 December 1973, Stade Tate Raphael, Kinshasa
Zaire 3-0 Morocco
Scorers: Zaire (Kembo 58, 61, Mbungu 79)
Zaire: Kazadi, Mwepu, Mukombo, Bwanga, Lobilo, Mambuene, Mayanga (Mulamba 46), Kibonge, Kembo (Mbungu 71), Kidumu, Kakoko.
Morocco: Belkourchi, Benkrif, Ilhardane, Megrouh, Zahraoui, Najah, Fetouni, Chebbak, Faras (Choukri 52), Haddadi, Amcharrat.
The stakes
As only the second African side to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, having secured the continent’s presence at Mexico 1970, Morocco started the last round of the African qualifiers for the 1974 tournament as heavy favourites. They moved effortlessly through the knockout stages to be paired with Zaire and Zambia in a final group competition for a place at the finals in West Germany.
The myth of the Moroccans’ prowess was shattered in their opening game, though, when they lost 4-0 to Zambia and then watched as the Leopards won both home and away against the Zambians in the next two matches to go top of the section. It meant that Morocco traveled to Kinshasa needing a win to deny the Zairians qualification.
Zaire (currently Congo DR) had a strong reputation too, with their clubs prominent in continental competition. They had reached the semi-finals of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1972, but drew 1-1 with Morocco during the tournament in Cameroon.
Zaire’s then-president Mobutu Sese Seko was a passionate backer of his side, providing the cash to employ Yugoslav coach Blagoge Vidinic and offering his players generous bonus payments in the form of cars and plots of lands. He even made his private jet available to ferry the team to away matches.
The Leopards had all the incentive to win but Morocco were in high spirits after resurrecting their hopes with a 2-0 win over Zambia in Tetouan two weeks earlier. They were on two points from two matches, Zaire had four from the same number of games and the Zambians had completed their programme and had been eliminated with just a single win from four ties in the group.
The story
Zaire stood on the brink of their biggest achievement yet, the vast country tantalisingly close, and although the official attendance for the match was set at under 8,000, the stadium on the outskirts of the city was packed to the rafters with an estimated crowd of some 20,000.
Morocco’s strategy was remarkably disciplined and insightful for the time, with the visitors content to pack their defence and break on the counter attack as Zaire launched wave after wave of attack but without much success.
By half-time the home side’s frustration was evident as the crunching tackles rained down on the North Africans, urged on by an increasingly desperate crowd. Shortly after the interval, there was an extraordinary Zaire goal as a frantic goal-mouth scramble culminated in the ball being forced over the line.
The Ghanaian referee, George Lamptey turned away the protests of the visitors that their goalkeeper Ahmed Belkoucrhi had been illegally striped of the ball before Kembo Uba Kembo bundled it over the line. Three minutes later Kembo had the ball in the back of the net again, doubling the lead and setting off wild celebrations among his countrymen.
But Zaire were not finished yet, seeing off a demoralised Morocco with a third and final goal from substitute Ekofa Mbungu, who had come on for the injured Kembo.
Zaire had qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals, the first African country from south of the Sahara to make it to the showpiece event. But so incensed were Morocco by the treatment meted out to their players that they demanded a rematch.
FIFA turned down their appeal and Morocco then pulled out of the last group game. It was awarded 2-0 to Zaire, therefore securing for them a 100 per cent record in the qualifiers.
The star
Kembo had already earned a reputation for his acumen in front of goal. He was known as Monsieur But (Mr Goal) for his scoring feats, both for the national side and V Club, the most popular team in Kinshasa. His penchant for physical play made him an icon at the time and he was hailed as the hero of Zaire’s successful campaign.
What happened next…
Zaire went on to win the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 1974 in a final replay against Zambia in Cairo, while Morocco – still fuming over the refereeing – boycotted the event. But when Zaire got to the world finals in West Germany, they struggled badly and were beaten comfortably by all three group opponents, reaching a low point with a 9-0 hammering by Yugoslavia.
Elsewhere;
On this day 9 December 2001 (Exactly 18 years ago today) Kumasi Asante Kotoko appeased their faithful supporters when they beat city rival, King Faisal 1-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium in the final of the FA Cup competition.
The lone goal came in nine minutes into extra time from the boot of substitute Kwaku Duah who swept the ball into the net from a goalmouth melee after a corner kick taken by Stephen Oduro.
As referee Alex Quartey rushed into the net and picked the ball to signify the end of the match about a quarter of the spectators, mostly dressed in the red and white colours of Kotoko, rushed onto the field in ecstasy.
The match kicked off on a very fast not after Mr Edward Osei Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports had inspected the teams. Though Kotoko won the first corner kick, they soon lost control to Faisal who throttled hard, looking for the first goal.
In the 5th minute, skipper Joe Agyemang Snr. came close but he was halted by Isaac Owusu in his tracks. Goalkeeper Osei Boateng sprawled in the 11th minute to deny Issah Debrah an opportunity to score.
From the 15th minute, it was King Faisal all the way as they had long spells of possession with Ben Wilson, Issah Debrah and Kwabena Poku drawing rings round the Kotoko players.
Action swung to the other side in the 28th minute when Joe Okyere set up Oduro but the petit attacker failed to make hay to keep Faisal slightly on top till the break.
In the second half, Alhaji Grunsah’s boys maintained their dominance but remained blunt in attack as substitute Frank Osei who came in for Joe Agyemang Jnr. led a long siege on the Kotoko territory. Anytime Kotoko broke into the Faisal area, veteran Emmanuel Ampiah mobilised Dada Kwadwo, Issah Yahaya and Thompson Sanu to ward off their attack.
In the 65th minute the best chance of the game fell to Joe Agyemang Snr. and he powered a header which clearly beat Keeper Osei Boateng but it was surprisingly redirected by teammate Wilson with another header off target.
With 15 minutes remaining, the tide changed in favour of Kotoko as they took control of the midfield with Oduro doing great runs to create chances. Faisal changed Ampiah, who was limping with Seth Opoku and this seemed to give the Kotoko attackers the leeway they needed to test keeper Sam Okyere who proved his mettle with some good saves.
During extra time, Faisal had the first chance to end it but Frank Osei failed to slip the ball to Kwabena Opoku who had a yawing net in front of him and allowed the Kotoko defence line to recover and dispossess him of the ball.
Five minutes into the ‘sudden death’ period, Frank Osei and Ben Wilson wove through the Kotoko defence but the final delivery was poor.
Left off the hook, Kotoko’s Kwaku Duah taught Faisal a bitter lesson when he powered home from close range to win the day for the porcupines who now book their first Africa berth in four years.
On this day 9 December 1982 (Exactly 37 years ago today) The World Boxing Council, in a move to help prevent serious injuries in the ring, announced that it would reduce the length of future championship fights from 15 to 12 rounds and would allow referees to order standing 8-counts for fighters in trouble.
Jose Sulaiman, the council’s president, said that both measures, which will take effect Jan. 1, 1983 had been approved unanimously after 17 of the 21 executive committee members had approved it.
He said the W.B.C. would await a medical report before deciding whether to implement another of his recommendations – increasing the time between rounds from 60 to 90 seconds.
Alfredo Lamazont, a W.B.C. spokesman, said studies had shown that a number of serious injuries had occurred in the 13th or 14th rounds of recent fights. Duk Koo Kim, a South Korean lightweight, died the previous month after being knocked out in the 14th round of a World Boxing Association title fight against Ray Mancini.
However, Mancini, from Washington, called the round reduction ”a farce” and said he preferred the 15-round title bouts. ”The W.B.C. has given in to the public and critics who have called boxing barbaric,” he said. ”I hope the W.B.A. does not give in.”
In Panama City, Elias M. Cordova, director of the W.B.A.’s championship committee, said no decision had been reached on whether to change W.B.A. rules, and that members were being consulted. Cordova, a doctor, said he doubted that the W.B.C. changes would do much to improve safety.
The last 15-round fight W.B.C. fight will be the super featherweight bout Saturday between the champion, Rafael Limon, and Bobby Chacon
By George “Alan Green” Mahamah
