On this day 20 March 1993 (Exactly 27 years ago today) Brazil beat Ghana’s Black Satellites in the final of the 7th World Youth Championship for the FIFA Coca-Cola Cup.
Exactly 10 years after winning their first World Youth Championship, Brazil carried off the FIFA/Coca-Cola Cup for the third time, with a goal just two minutes before the end of normal time.
Over 40,000 spectators enjoyed one of the best finals ever seen in the history of this competition and would have been happy to see the game go into extra time. The decisive goal came from Gian who took an ideal through pass from Marcelinho and shot home from just inside the box in the inside-left position. Incredible jubilation ensued on one side, deep disappointment on the other.
The South Americans’ revenge for the quarter-final defeat in the 1991 U-17 championship in Italy was complete.
Both countries had similarities that made this final look more exciting even before it started. Both seems to have bottomless well of talent.
Both put great emphasis on refined play and treat football as entertainment, both for themselves and for the spectators . Both national associations go to great lengths to foster the development of junior football . And both had players in their squads (Ghana nine, Brazil five) who had met before in that 1991 U-17 encounter.
Sufficient reasons to regard this final as a worthy follow-up to that game two years earlier, which has already gone down in the annals of FIFA competitions . From the start, a fast and attractive game developed. There was no hesitant sounding out of the opponent or waiting tactics.
There was too much self-confidence in both camps; both trainers and players were convinced that they could win the match using their own style. Brazil got off to the better start. With lots of aggression, their pressing pinned the Africans down right from the kick-off . But to the surprise of the crowd and the consternation of the Brazilians, Emmanuel Duah opened the scoring against the run of the play after just 11 minutes.
He headed a well-timed cross from AhinfuI powerfully from 13 metres into the top right corner of Dida’s goal . This goal temporarily knocked Brazil out of their stride . Their automatic game did not function as well as usual .
Ghana’s individual skills caused problems for the South Americans. Memories of Italy in 1991 began to come back, when similar circumstances had ended in favour of the Africans . But Australia was not to be another Italy. Or this Brazilian team was not to be compared with that of two years earlier. On this occasion they got their game together and created a number of chances before the interval, yet did not quite manage an equalizer.
The Brazilians set a furious pace at the beginning of the second half too. Adriano, later voted best player of the tournament, lived up to his reputation as a playmaker and created several chances, and it was he who set Yan going in the 50th minute with a perfect pass . As the Ghanaian keeper Owu came out rather indecisively, Yan went round him and scored the equalizer.
This goal set off an open exchange of attacks. Either team could have scored the winner at this stage but neither did, and the game grew more and more intense. Signs of fatigue began to appear on both sides. Fifty-seven minutes of effective playing time was slightly more than the tournament average and was taking its toll .
But the whole game remained fair throughout – the referee’s booking of Akonnor after just 3 minutes had given due warning of what he would tolerate . A Hollywood producer could not have come up with more drama. With extra time and the prospect of “sudden death” that was being tested out for the first time in this tournament looming ever closer, the decision fell seconds before the end. In short it had been a final that fulfilled all the high expectations and made the end of this WYC a real festival . Despite knowing how much rode on the game, neither team resorted to petty tactics, but gave full rein to their attacking skills.
From the technical standpoint this was a tournament of a very high level . In this respect too, the two finalists were the outstanding teams.
Although neither Brazil nor Ghana could be rated among the physically strongest sides, they overcame teams who excelled them in this respect on their way to the final . The above-average technical skills of all their players proved sufficient to carry both teams undefeated into the decisive game.
“Ghana’s skills and commitment won them a place in the hearts of the spectators” Joseph S. Blatter then FIFA General Secretary
“What was exciting to football journalists and media from around the world attending the Australia event was the style and enthusiastic play of Ghanaian team”
Frank W. Bean Manager International Sports The Coca-Cola Company
Match Summary
Final
Venue: Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Brazil 2 – 1 Ghana
Yan (50) Emmanuel Duah 11
Gian (88)
Attendance: 40,015
Referee: Ahmet Çakar (Turkey)
Awards
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Ghana
Third: England
Fourth: Australia
Adidas Golden Ball: Adriano (Brazil)
Adidas Golden Boot: Henry ZAMBRANO(Colombia)
Fair Play Award: England
BY: George ‘’Alan Green’’ Mahamah