On this day 25 November 2001 (Exactly 18 years ago today) Two first half goals from three time goal-king, Ishmael Addo, ensured Hearts rapped their fifth consecutive league title in style with a 2-0 victory over Dawu Youngsters in their penultimate Star Premier League match at the Accra Sports Stadium
Hearts dominated from the start to finish, leaving their opponents to do occasional breaks that were foiled by the hard tackling Hearts defence.
Hearts had the first taste of what Dawu had in stock for them when Eric Mbroah in the 7th minute stamped goalkeeper James Nanor who had to be substituted because of the injury.
Hearts playing an unfamiliar strategy with Osei Kuffour deep in midfield to pull all the strings, found the opener in the 26 minute when Charles Taylor broke from his markers, beating two Dawu players on the run before passing to Addo to slot the ball beyond Sumaila Abdullah
Hearts midfield dominance ensured the ball stayed in the half of Dawu most of the time but the goals just failed to come as Bernard Don Bortey and Addo wasted chances after chances. Ishmael could not be denied his second goal as he finished off a well centred cross from the right to make victory certain.
In the second half, Hearts reduced the match to mere a training session as they were contended with playing the ball among themselves rather than making serious incursions at goal scoring.
Dawu first real chance came in the 54th minute but their leading marksman Awudu Adama failed to capitalise on a mistake by substitute goalkeeper Laud Quartey and left Hearts off the hook.
Dawu again came close in the 71st minute when a header from Baba Sule seemed sailing into the net but Jacob Nettey was on hand to scope the ball of the gaol line.
Before the match, there was a brief ceremony where Addo was presented with three balls for his three hat-tricks during the season whiles Emmanuel Donkor also took a ball for his against Liberty.
On this day 25 November 2000 (Exactly 19 years ago today) The African women championship final between hosts South Africa and Nigeria had to be abandoned in the second half after a riot broke out at the Vosloorus Stadium near Johannesburg. Riot police, who arrived 40 minutes after the trouble started, fired tear gas at the crowds and fought running battles with youths who were throwing bottles at them.
Before that spectators threw bottles and other objects at match officials and at the Nigerian players after Nigeria had taken a 2-0 lead midway through the second half. Police said at least five people were injured as South African fans fought with Nigerian supporters in the crowd. Police had to carry several children, who were caught up in the fighting, to safety.
Fans continued to throw objects on to the pitch for at least 30 minutes after the game was stopped, despite appeals for calm from Gauteng premier Mbazima Shilowa. The match was eventually called off and the trophy awarded to Nigeria. The 35,000-capacity stadium was overflowing for the match between the two African superpowers. Officials attempted to close the gates three hours before the kickoff to limit the number of spectators.
“This is a very sad day for football in both Africa and South Africa,” said Molefi Oliphant, president of the South African Football Association. He also criticised police for lack of control.
ANALYSIS: Shocking End To The Women’s Championship
From African Soccer Magazine
Nigeria’s Super Falcons have rightly been proclaimed African champions, but what a shocking end to the second Women’s Nations Cup.
It had promised to be a dream final, pitching the South African hosts against the defending champions, ranked fifth in the world after the 1999 Women’s World Cup in the US. But the girls’ game had a rare taste of violence when the match was abandoned with 28 minutes to play.
The trouble started, in a packed Vosloorus Stadium, with South African supporters hurling stones and bottles onto the pitch after Nigeria’s second goal scored by Stella Mbachu. The crowd protested (wrongly) that the goal should have been disallowed because an injured Nigerian player had been lying in an offside position. Olaitan Yusuf had opened the scoring in the 31st minute.
Riot police fired tear gas and fought running battles with youths. Several people were hurt as South African fans fought with Nigerian supporters in the crowd, while police carried children caught up in the fighting to safety.
The game was eventually abandoned and Nigeria were awarded the trophy after dominating the match: South Africa had never seriously threatened the Falcons’ goal, and Nigeria had already had two goals disallowed.
It was an embarrassing end to the competition, which is only in its second edition. But the tournament had been dogged by difficulties long before Saturday’s debacle.
At the outset, teams were transferred from the hotel booked for them to other accommodation after the Nigerians protested the lodgings provided did not meet CAF requirements. Later on, several teams complained of food poisoning and Ghana queried the organisers for not providing video tapes of the other matches.
CAF has promised an investigation into Saturday’s crowd trouble, and extra care will undoubtedly be taken when South Africa hosts the Cosafa regional Under-20 championship, which kicks off on December 3. If that goes smoothly, the events should not do too much damage to South Africa’s future bids to host more international events. But the organisers will still have some tough questions to answer about the poor security in the stadium.
For the women’s game, the battle of Johannesburg is a bitter pill to swallow. Nigeria’s success in the US gave women’s football a huge boost across the continent, with organised local leagues springing up and talk even of an African club competition.
But interestingly, violence is not as rare as one might expect in the women’s game. Before the civil war escalated in Sierra Leone, the trouble at football grounds took place in the women’s national league – it happened almost on weekly basis.
The difference between what happened in Sierra Leone then, and events in Johannesburg, is that it was unexpected and shocking way to end a continental championship.
Africa’s top football feast for women has been ruined, but after 60 goals in one tournament, worthy champions have been crowned. For the Falcons, at least, there is something to celebrate.
On this day 25 November 2017 (Exactly 2 years ago today) DR Congo’s giants TP Mazembe clinched the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup title after a goalless draw at South Africa’s Supersport United in the second leg of the final.
After securing a narrow 2-1 victory in the first leg in DR Congo, TP Mazembe managed to hold on a goalless draw away from home to beat the South African side 2-1 on aggregate and secure their second successive CAF Confederation Cup title.
On this day 25 November 1980 (Exactly 39 years ago today) Sugar Ray Leonard regained WBC welterweight boxing crown when Roberto Durán quit in the 8th round of infamous “no mas” fight at the Superdome, New Orleans
This was, of course, the “No Mas” fight, sandwiched in between the quite superb first meeting between them in Montreal, which Duran won, and the mundane conclusion to the trilogy in the appropriately named Mirage, Las Vegas, which Leonard cakewalked. This, though, in the Superdome in New Orleans, was at the epicentre of the rivalry of the Four Kings – Leonard, Duran, Hagler and Hearns – and it provided boxing theatre of the highest order.
Manos de Piedra had to rip nearly two stone off his abused frame in the last week to make the welterweight limit and paid for his indiscipline as Leonard reached new heights of excellence. He feinted a bolo punch at the end of the seventh, cranked up a neck-jarring jab and Duran was a knockout waiting to happen.
Then came the end nobody would have thought possible: 16 seconds from the end of the eight, Duran turned his back and declared “No mas!” For a proud Latino, it was the ultimate surrender. He claimed stomach cramps. Leonard said simply, “I made him quit.”
0n this day 25 November 1983 (Exactly 36 years ago today) Larry Holmes TKO Marvis Frazier in round 1 for heavyweight boxing title
A devastating performance from Larry Holmes in what was arguably one of his finest in his pro career.
There was the argument that the fight should have been perhaps stopped a little earlier than it was, with Holmes even waving to the referee at the end to step in and stop the fight.
Referee Mills Lane was a little late to stop the fight many thought.
Marvin Frazier went on to have only one other loss in a pro boxing ring in 1986 against another legendary heavyweight in his prime – Mike Tyson
On this day 25 November 2012 (Exactly 7 years ago today) German Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel finished 4th in season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix at Autódromo José Carlos Pace to claim his 3rd consecutive F1 World Drivers Championship by 3 points from Fernando Alonso
On this day 25 November 2018 (Exactly a year ago today) British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to claim his 5th Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by 88 points from Sebastian Vettel; Mercedes’ 5th straight Constructors title.
BY: George ‘Alan Green’ Mahamah