Ghana as a country back in the days enjoyed much superiority in club football in Africa as clubs like Kotoko and Hearts of Oak showed dominance years ago.
Kotoko and Hearts of Oak were among the ‘big gangs’ in African club football as both teams managed to reach the finals of the maiden edition of the CAF Confederation Cup way back in January 9, 2005.
It’s exactly 14 years today that the Phobians showed enough muscles over Kotoko to clinch the maiden edition of the CAF Confederation Cup in Kumasi after both legs ended 1:1.
Hearts of Oak in the first leg of the finale drew 1:1 with Kotoko at the then Ohene Gyan Sports Stadium now Accra Sports Stadium before travelling to Kumasi for the second- leg which also ended in a 1:1 stalemate.
Charles Taylor had the opener in the second- leg at the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports Stadium before the delight to watch Adjah Tettey had the equalizer.
The cagey encounter traveled to penalty shootouts where the Phobians won by 8:7 to clinch the ultimate in front of over thousands supporters of Asante Kotoko in Kumasi.
Dan Quaye, Emmanuel Osei Kuffuor, Francis Bossman, Acquah Harrison, Lawrence Adjei, Ablade Morgan, Adjah Tetteh and Michael Donkor scored for Hearts of Oak during the penalty shootouts while skipper Amankwah Mireku missed his kick.
For Kotoko, Issah Ahmed, Frank Osei, Yusif Chibsah, Michael Asante, Godfred Yeboah, Dan Yeboah and Michael Ofosu-Appiah scored from their kicks while Edmund Owusu-Ansah and skipper Joseph Hendricks missed their kicks.
Kotoko head coach Hans Dieter- Schmidt presented the following for the final game;
GK: George Owu
Michael Ofuso Amoah
Godfred Yeboah
cap: Joe Hendricks
Issa Ahmed
Stephen Oduro
Yusif Chibsah
Michael Asante
Michael Osei
Nana Arhin Duah/Frank Osei Charles Taylor/ Edmund Owusu Ansah
Hearts of Oak gaffer Cecil Jones Attaquayefio on the other hand went to the finale with the following squad;
GK: Sannie Mohammed
Dan Quaye
cap: Amankwah Mireku
Acquah Harrison
Michael Donkor
Francis Bossman
Adjah Tetteh
Lawrence Adjei
Louis Agyemang
Prince Tagoe
Dong Bortey/Ablade Morgan.
