On this day 28 November 1982(Exactly 39 years ago today) Al Ahly beat Asante Kotoko 3-0 in the first leg match of the 1982 African Champions’ Cup (now Champions League) at the Cairo International Stadium in Cairo
Al Ahly captain and midfield general Mohmoud El-Khateeb twice, while Mayhoub Alaa Mayhoub got the other.
The first goal in the 13th minute came against the run of play as dangerman right- winger Moustapha Abdou who was all by himself raced on the right flank before centering for Mahmoud El-Khatib to score with a nice lob past on-rushing goalkeeper Joseph Carr.
This was at a time when the Egyptian spectators had started shouting on their own players for not playing to their expectation.
Six minutes later, Khatib, this time from a very glaring off- side position on the left flank, centred for centre forward Alaa Mayhoub to score the second goal.
Undaunted, Kotoko counter attacked with possessive play which briefly frustrated the Egyptians resulting in their fanatic supporters throwing missiles onto the pitch.
This compelled Ivorian referee Bernard Grah to openly threaten to halt the game should the missiles be hurled again onto the pitch.
Kotoko had by then earned four corner kicks but wasted them all. Besides, skipper Opoku Afriyie uncharacteristically, wasted a fifth minute goal scoring chance when he shot straight into goalkeeper Ikranm’s hands.
Surprisingly, when Kotoko appeared to be coming into the game, top defender Karim Zito who for once, looked like a pale shadow of his former self, gave the ball to dangerman El- Khatib again to score his personal second and the third goal for the Egyptians in the 34th minute.
Kotoko had no choice but to pull Zito out for Kwasi Appiah in the 38th minute which paid very well as he effectively released the pressure on the Kotoko’s defence.
Down by three goals, Kotoko resumed the second half strongly and held on to it throughout but luck was not on their side as all their goal scoring attempts failed to materialize.
Albert Asaase, John Bannerman, Kofi Badu, Opoku Nti and Papa Arko on three great occasions came so close to scoring in the 57th, 61st and 78th minutes but goalkeeper Shehat Ikrami, who emerged as the man of the match, pulled some spectacular saves to the surprise of their own people.
The Egyptians staged a final attack after making two straight substitutions and earned the second corner in the 82nd minute which was wasted. They again forced Seth Ampadu to receive a yellow card in the 88th minute for repeated fouling.
Al Ahly: Ekrami El-Shahat, Medhat Ramadan, Maher Hammam, Moustafa Younis, Rabei Yassin , Alaa Mayhoub, Magdi Abdel Ghani, Mokhtar Mokhtar, Moustafa Abdou , Mahmoud El-Khateeb, Mohamed Amer (Taher Abouzaid)
Kotoko: Joseph Carr, Yusif Haruna, Karim Zito/Kwasi Appiah, Seth Ampadu, Ahmed Rockson, Papa Arko, John Bannerman, Albert Asaase, Opoku Nti, Opoku Afriyie, Kofi Badu
Elsewhere;
On this day 28 November 2005 (Exactly 16 years ago today) Former Barcelona and Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho won the Ballon d’Or award for European Footballer of the Year, despite competition from Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.
The then 25-year-old Brazilian international beat off competition from Chelsea FC midfielder Frank Lampard and Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard, in second and third places respectively, to become the third Brazilian to land the coveted prize, which went to AC Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko in 2004.
The Ballon d’Or is organised by France Football magazine and its winner decided by a poll of European soccer journalists.
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was fourth in the voting, followed by AC Milan and Ukraine forward Andriy Shevchenko, who won the previous year.
“To be here with all those great players applauding me is a dream come true,” said Ronaldinho after receiving the golden ball trophy at a ceremony in Paris attended by several former winners.
“This gives me motivation to keep working and try to emulate them.
“I have the chance to do for a living what I like the most in life, and that’s playing football. I can make people happy and enjoy myself at the same time.”
Ronaldinho was instrumental in helping Barcelona to clinch their first Primera Liga title since 1999 the previous season, scoring nine goals and providing many more.
On this day 28 November 2015(Exactly 6 years ago today) Former non-League player Jamie Vardy scored in his 11th game in a row to set a new Premier League record, netting in the first half against Manchester United.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of 10 – set while at United – stood for 12 years but Vardy, facing the meanest defence in the division, surpassed the mark set by the Dutchman at the King Power Stadium.
That incredible goalscoring sequence started on the south coast with an 86th-minute penalty against Bournemouth on 29 August, when creating history was the last thing on anyone’s mind.
Three months later and everyone from international cricketers to Olympic gold medallists were taking to social media to offer their congratulations to the former factory worker.
Van Nistelrooy, who had sent Vardy a good luck message on Instagram before the game, also showed a touch of class in the wake of the goal that eclipsed his own achievement when he tweeted: “Well done, Vardy. You’re number one now and you deserved it. 11 in a row.”
On this day 28 November 1999 (Exactly 22 years ago today) In an all-American final, Pete Sampras beat Andre Agassi 6–1, 7–5, 6–4 to win his 5th and final ATP Tour World Championship tennis title in Hanover, Germany
On this day 28 November 2010 (Exactly 11 years ago today) In a classic matchup, Roger Federer won his 5th season-ending ATP World Tour Finals tennis title with a 6–3, 3–6, 6–1 victory over Rafael Nadal of Spain in the final in London, England
BY: GEORGE ‘Alan Green’ MAHAMAH