BY: George ‘Alan Green’ Mahamah
On this day 1 December 1963 (Exactly 60 years ago today) Ghana won its first Africa Cup of Nations trophy after beating Sudan 3-0 in the final of the 4th edition of the biannual tournament in Accra.
The Role of Dr Kwame Nkrumah
Dr Kwame Nkrumah realised that there was the need to identify things that would unify the country and instill in the people a sense of pride in the country.
Mass participation in sports presented an arena where a sense of camaraderie could easily be developed.
Football was by far the most popular of the sports in Ghana and naturally presented a nationwide platform on which a sense of ‘oneness’ could be promoted.
Central Organisation of Sports.
The Central Organisation of Sports (COS) was set up by Dr Kwame Nkrumah on July 1, 1960 with Mr Ohene Djan, who was at the time the Chairman of the Ghana Amateur Football Association (GAGA), as director of sports.
The main aim of setting up the Central Organisation of Sports was to promote, encourage, develop and control sports in the country, it was also to exercise final control over the external relations of all forms of Sports in Ghana, encourage and promote competitions between Ghana and international teams.
The Formation of the Ghana Republican Club
One of the first acts of the Central Organisation of Sports was to set up the Republikan Sporting Club. This was announced by Ohene Djan on January 23, 1961 on behalf of the president.
The new club, according to the director, was to be at the forefront of reconstruction of Sports in the country, and was to be involved in all aspects of Sports in Ghana.
“The director explained that the club was formed on the instructions of Osagyefo President Kwame Nkrumah.”
Football occupied most of the attention of the Central Organisation of Sports. Due to its popularity, the first team to be developed after the formation of the Republikan Sporting Club was the football team, known as the Ghana Republikan Club.
On June 12, 1960, in a message to the Annual Conference of the Ghana Amateur Football Association at Ho in the Volta Region, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah hinted formation of model club. Among other things, Osagyefo said;“My interest in soccer is so keen that I propose in the near future, to encourage the formation of a model club which will offer leadership and inspiration to football clubs in the country.
“This club shall be known a “Ghana Republikan s.” to commemorate the launching of your Three -Year – Development Plan in the year of our Republic.
‘I need not to remind you that football is now in the forefront of Ghana. It is in fact our national game.”
As a model club, two players were selected from each team forming a the base for an amalgamated Ghana team which won one league title and four 4 consecutive FA Cups.
This team formed a core of the Black Stars team that won the Nations Cup in 1963.
Road to the Final
The Black Stars made their Africa Cup of Nations debut with a 1- 1 draw against Tunisia in the opening match of the tournament on 24 November. Wilberforce Mfum scored Ghana’s first goal in the history of the Nations Cup in the 11th minute, while Mohamed Salah Jedidi equalised for the North Africans in the 36th minute; becoming the first player to score against Ghana in the competition.
Edward Acquah scored two goals as Ghana beat defending champions Ethiopia 2 – 0 in their next match to book their place in the final.
Sudan finished first in their group ahead of Egypt and Nigeria to book a final date with the Black Stars.
Final
Venue: Accra Sports Stadium
Date: 1 December 1963
Ghana 3-0 Sudan
Scorers: Aggrey-Finn (pen) 62, Edward Acquah 72, 82]
Three times champions of West Africa, Ghana ascended the continental throne, after beating Sudan 3-0 in the final of the African Cup of Nations.
After a boring first half during which there was nothing to choose between the two finalists, Ghana improved in the second half and played more purposeful football.
There was much combination among the soccer Trojans- Edward Acquah, Leonard Acquah and Wilberforce K. Mfum at the early stages of the 1st half.
Ofei Dodoo “jet’” replaced Leonard Acquah in the second half and he brought some life into the game. He was very fast at the right wing and he combined very well with Edward Acquah and Mfum.
Due to Ghana’s unrelenting pressure, a Sudan defender in a desperate attempt to clear his lines handled in the penalty box and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot.
Skipper Aggrey Fyn stepped up to beat goalkeeper Sabit Dudu from the spot to give Ghana the lead in the 62nd minute.
The stars were energized by that goal and they pinned their opponents to their own side of the field.
The stadium rocked again with deafening cheers in the 72nd minute when Edward Acquah scored the second goal after receiving a neat pass from Ofei Dodoo.
Ghana took total control of the game from that occasion and they played beautiful football to the delight of the fans.
Ofei Dodoo, who played very a great game received a ball from Mfum. He beat the entire Sudanese with a body swerve, worked his way through the touchline and sent an excellent pass to Acquah who scored to give Ghana a third goal in the 82nd minute.
Dodoo Ankrah, as usual was matchless in the goal for Ghana. Full backs Franklin Crentsil and Emmanuel Oblitey were simply good. Centre half Addo Odametey proved beyond all doubts he was the best in his position.
Captain Aggrey – Fynn, relying on his immaculate body swerves, and perfect passes, he stayed- put at the half back and first of all disorganized the Sudanese forwards before they came to scoring range. Next he saw to it that the Ghana forwards received the right passes for the job.
Ben Simmons harassed the Sudanese forwards like a swam of bees and never gave them a breathing space. That was why they were not able to score a single goal.
Mohammed Salisu nearly got out with one eye off. With a few minutes to the end of the match one of his eyes was covered with cotton wool. He played the game of his life. His crossings were above description. Although he did not find the net, his passes contributed much to baffling the Sudanese defence.
Kwame Adarkwa’s combinations with Salisu were excellent. He used his body swerves to good advantage.
Net breaker Mfum was the most tireless player of the day. Acquah never spared the Sudanese defense an inch. He kept on shooting from all angles until the goalkeeper yielded.
Ofei Dodoo’s introduction in the second half changed the game. He caused the penalty against the Sudanese from which Aggrey – Fynn scored the first goal. He also placed perfect passes for Acquah to score the other two goals. The combination between Ofei, Acquah and Mfum was too superb for words.
Ghana: Edward Dodoo Ankrah, Franklin Crentsil, Emmanuel Oblitey, Ben Acheampong Simmons,
Edward Jonah Aggrey-Fynn, Charles Addo Odametey, Kwame Adarkwa, Leonard Acquah
(Henry Emmanuel Ofei Dodoo 46′), Edward Acquah, Wilberforce Mfum, Mohammed Salisu.
Sudan: Eid Sabbit Dudu Damor, Ibrahim Mohammed Ali ‘Ibrahim Kabir’, Mohammed Amin Zaki,
Ali Sayed Ahmed Al-Sheikh, Jaafar Hassan Ettoum Haj Al-Sidik ‘Gagarin’, Omar Osman,
Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Fadil Jadallah ‘Jaqdoul’, Ibrahim Yahya Al-Kuwarti, Omar Ettoum Hassan,
Nasr El-Din Abbas ‘Jaksa’, Abdel-Aziz Ibrahim Adam ‘Wiza’.
Referee: Hédi Ben Abdelkader (Tunisia).
Ghana’s 18-man squad for the tournament
Players alive (5)
Dodoo Ankrah (Real Republikans), Kofi Pare (Real Republikans), Wilberforce Mfum (Kotoko), Leonard Acquah (Defence Stars), Anum Okai (Hearts of Oak)
Players dead (13)
Addo Odametey (Real Republikans), Edward Acquah (Real Republikans), Mohammed Salisu (Kotoko), Aggrey Fyn – Captain (Real Republikans), Ofei Dodoo (Hearts of Oak), Joe Aikens (Cornerstone), Atta Kwame (B.A United),Ben Acheampong formerly Ben Simmons (Real Republikans), Evans Oblitey (Real Republikans), , Franklin Crentsil (Real Republikans), Kwame Adarkwa (Kotoko), Agyemang Gyau (Real Republikans), E.E De Graft (Cornerstone),
Coach: Charles Kumi Gyamfi
Assistant Coach: Ben Koufie
Team Manager: Kwabena Haggan
Director of Sports: Ohene Djan