On this day 28 May 1995 (Exactly 25 years ago today) Roy “The Black Flash” Ankrah died. The man, who in the 1950s put the country, then known as Gold Coast, on the boxing map, finally lost the battle against sickness.
Born John Theophilus Oti Ankrah on December 25, 1925, Roy died while being conveyed to the Korle – Bu Teaching Hospital from his Dansoman Estate residence in Accra.
Roy was without a doubt the country’s pioneer in professional boxing. He became a household name in the then Gold Coast when he won the British Empire featherweight title in 1951, beating Ronnie Clayton.
Dubbed variously as the ‘Black Flash’ and ‘Mr Perpetual Motion’, for his blinding hand speed and footwork. Ray dominated the division until 1954 when he lost the crown to Billy Spider Kelly.
As the first Gold Coast boxer to campaign in British rings, the Black Flash blazed the trail for others to follow and started Ghana’s domination of the featherweight division. The mantle was later to be taken up by Floyd Klutei Robertson, culminating in two world champions in the division — David ‘Poison’ Kotei and Azumah Nelson.
Even though he was a featherweight, Roy Ankrah was reputed to have fought opponents from that division up to heavyweights.
He became the first Ghanaian national boxing coach when he was appointed to that position by the then Central Organisation of Sports (COS).
His first major assignment was to assist British coach Jack Roy at Rome Olympics in 1960.
It was at these Games that Ghana won her first Olympic medal – a silver by Clement Isaac Quartey, a boxer.
On his return from the games , Roy Ankrah assumed full control of the national team which produced so many great amateur boxers and won several African and Commonwealth Games medals for the country.
He was in charge when Ghana was voted the strongest boxing nation at the Perth Commonwealth Games in 1962.
Until 1994, Roy was on contract with the National Sports Council (now National Sports Authority).
He was a World Boxing Council referee Judge and officiated at some world title fights.
He fell ill in November 1994 and never recoverd until he died , leaving behind a wife, two sons and three daughters.
Elsewhere;
On this day 28 May 1995 (Exactly 25 years ago today) Ghana’s Black Starlets claimed the African U- 17 Cup of Nations title after beating Nigeria 3:1 in Bamako.
The Eaglets central defender Mtem Sember had converted Emmanuel Bentil’s cross into his own net in the 10th minute.
But the world champions that they were, Nigeria’s ability to hit back when struck, dominated the remaining story of the first half.
And they brought themselves to terms on the half hour when Bosun Ayem lifted the ball over stranded goalkeeper Michael Abu who had abandoned his posts for a futile adventure.
Nigeria kept surging and just before recess dangerman Edouard Anyankegli hit the cross bar with a thunderbolt that rolled over.
The opening of the second half saw a marked reduction in the first half pace and Ghana bringing in Christian Saba for David Amoako.
In that cautious opening, the Starlets teased their opponents with superb dribbling but on several occasions that they came close, it was Nigerian goalkeeper Segun Adeyami who earned stardom, saving many critical situations to send the game into extra time.
Ghana stretched the dominance into extra time and seven minutes on, Awudu Issaka lifted a freekick over the Nigerian wall for Bentil to shoot in Ghana’s second goal.
In their moment of despair, Nigeria became ruthless with their tackles paying dearly with the expulsion of key defender Samuel Kingsley just before Saba scored with rebound.
On this day 28 May 2011(Exactly 9 years ago today) Barcelona delivered a masterclass to inflict another Champions League final defeat on Manchester United as Lionel Messi inspired an emphatic victory at Wembley.
Manchester United’s hopes of emulating their first European Cup final success in Wembley against Benfica in 1968 foundered as Barcelona deservedly repeated their win against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in Rome two years earlier.
The pattern of an entertaining game bore an uncanny resemblance to events in the Stadio Olimpico in 2009 as United started with optimism and intent before being swamped by Barcelona’s brilliance.
Pedro gave Barcelona the lead from one of the many wonderful passes played by Xavi – but Wayne Rooney lifted the gloom during a torrid spell for United with a fine equaliser following a swift exchange with Ryan Giggs.
Barcelona responded by cranking up what Ferguson labelled their passing “carousel” after the break, with man-of-the match Messi at the centre of events as he tortured United.
Messi’s magical feet were decorated by luminous green boots but it was his talent that illuminated Wembley and United’s night was effectively over once he restored Barcelona’s lead with a powerful drive early in the second half.
David Villa’s spectacular third emphasised the gulf in class between the sides and United never threatened to mount the sort of dramatic recovery that has become their trademark.
Ferguson and his players were disconsolate at the final whistle as the nightmare of Rome was revisited but there was no shame in their defeat by one of the finest club sides the game has seen.
On this day 28 May 1958(Exactly 62 years ago today) The Heysel stadium in Brussels played host to the first ever European Cup final to be decided in extra-time. Real Madrid and Milan faced off as Europe’s best teams in the third edition of the tournament and they played their part in an extremely close-fought affair, with the Italians taking the lead on two occasions. The madridistas didn’t give up though, and they responded with goals from Di Stéfano and Rial.
The final was won in the extra period, with Gento proving the decisive figure. The madridista legend scored in the European Cup final for the second year in a row to make it 3-2. Juanito Alonso played a key role too, making some vital saves in the closing moments
Real Madrid: Alonso, Atienza Il, Santamaría, Lesmes II, Santisteban, Zárraga, Kopa, Joseíto, Di Stéfano, Rial and Gento.
Milan: Soldan, Fontana, Maldini, Beraldo, Bergamaschi, Radice, Danova, Liedholm, Schiaffino, Grillo and Cucchiaroni.
Goals:
0-1 (min. 59): Schiaffino.
1-1 (min. 74): Di Stéfano.
1-2 (min. 77): Grillo.
2-2 (min. 79): Rial.
3-2 (min. 107): Gento.
Referee: Albert Alsteen (Belgium).
Stadium: Heysel (Brussels).
On this day 28 May 1969 (Exactly 51 years ago today)AC Milan beat Ajax to win the 13th edition of the European Cup at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.
Ajax made history by becoming the first Dutch side to reach the final, but they were beaten by their Italian opponents 4-1.
Goals Scored
Prati ( 7, 40, 75)
Sormani (67)
Ajax
Vasović 60 (pen)
Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
Referee: José María Ortiz de Mendíbil (Spain)
As of 2019, Pierino Prati remains the most recent player to score a hat trick in a European Cup or Champions League final
On this day 28 May 1975 (Exactly 45 years ago today) Bayern Munich beat Leeds United 2-0 in the final match of the European Cup played at the Parc des Princes, Paris.
Franz Roth scored in the 71st minute for Bayern and Gerd Müller extended the lead ten minutes later, to secure a 2–0 victory for Bayern
Bayern Munich were appearing in their second final; they had won the previous season’s competition, beating Spanish team Atlético Madrid 4–0 in a replay after the first match finished 1–1. Leeds were appearing in their first final
On this day 28 May 1980 (Exactly 40 years ago today) Nottingham Forest beat Hamburg 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid to win their second European Cup.
In the 21st minute, John Robertson squeezed a shot past Hamburg keeper Rudolf Kargus for the only goal of the game, to give Nottingham Forest back-to-back European Cup titles. The victory also meant that Forest became the first club that had won the European Cup more times than their domestic first division.
On this day 28 May 1997 (Exactly 23 years ago today) Borussia Dortmund beat Juventus at the Olympic Stadium in Munich to the UEFA Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund won 3–1 with goals from Karl-Heinz Riedle(29,34) and Lars Ricken(71); Juventus’ goal was scored by Alessandro Del Piero(65).
On this day 28 May 2003 (Exactly 17 years ago today) AC Milan beats Juventus 3-2 on penalties at the Old Trafford in Manchester to win the UEFA Champions League.
The match made history as it was the first time two clubs from Italy had faced each other in the final. It was also the second intra-national final of the competition, following the all-Spanish 2000 UEFA Champions League Final three years earlier. Milan won the match via a penalty shoot-out after the game had finished 0–0 after extra time. It gave Milan their sixth success in the European Cup.
The penalty shoot-out has caused controversy among some fans as replays showed that Dida was in front of the goal line when saving penalties from David Trezeguet, Marcelo Zalayeta and Paolo Montero. Buffon was also off his line when saving penalties from Clarence Seedorf and Kakha Kaladze. Shevchenko put away the final penalty to win the European Cup for Milan for the sixth time. Shevchenko himself became the first Ukrainian footballer to win the European Cup.
On this day 28 May 2016 (Exactly 4 years ago today) Real Madrid recorded their 11th European Cup win and second against Atlético, Cristiano Ronaldo converting the decisive spot kick.
Real Madrid prevailed on penalties as they eventually got the better of Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final for the second time in three seasons.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a quiet match by his high standards, scored the decisive spot kick after Juanfran had hit the base of the post with the eighth attempt of the shoot-out.
Substitute Yannick Carrasco’s 79th-minute equaliser cancelled out a first-half strike by Sergio Ramos, whose own – last-gasp – leveller against the Rojiblancos had forced extra time in Lisbon two years earlier.
On this day 28 May 1928 (Exactly 92 years ago today) Uruguay was selected as host nation of the 1st FIFA World Cup in Australia.
FIFA selected Uruguay as host nation, as the country would be celebrating the centenary of its first constitution, and the Uruguay national football team had successfully retained their football title at the 1928 Summer Olympics.
All matches were played in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, the majority at the Estadio Centenario, which was built for the tournament.
By: George ‘Alan Green’ Mahamah
