By Ken Bediako
The sages say no prize can be said to be inferior in competitive sports, no matter the standard of the game. The recent FA Cup final between Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra-based Golden Kick was not quite to the expected high standard but Kotoko have every right to rejoice over the victory.
Granted the winning goal came from a highly controversial penalty award but this is no big deal. It’s part of football and it used to happen even at the FIFA World Cup before the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Golden Kick would naturally feel cheated. You cannot blame the referee for using his discretion to award the penalty. The Ghana Football Association should take the blame for their reluctance to procure the useful services of VAR. It’s long overdue. It is true that many cynics don’t trust some of the operators of the VAR system but truth be told I think it is better than not at all. At least it generates a lot of interesting debates in many circumstances which, in my view, adds to the craze and fun surrounding the game of Association Football.
Supporters of Golden Kick will definitely feel unlucky to have conceded that last minute penalty but Asante Kotoko fans are
justifiably happy to be back in Africa after being absent for nearly a decade whereas their 1980s classmates like Egypt’s El Ahly and WAC of Morocco are firing on all cylinders both at home and abroad.
On a personal note for Kotoko coach Abdul Karimu Zito, it should be a great honour to join his former club on an African tour again, this time not as player but technical man. The Nsawam born defender was in the trenchant 1983 Asante Kotoko squad that won the Africa Cup with a neat 1-0 victory over Ahly of Egypt at the Baba Yara Stadium courtesy Opoku Nti’s 21st minute connection from a tailor measured John Bannerman pass from the right wing.
Karimu Zito is also making history by leading a second Ghanaian club for the CAF Cup competition after leading Dreams FC on a similar mission two seasons ago and he was quite impressive.
It is my hope that Zito will receive all the support he needs from Kotoko management and the players to revamp interest in club international matches alongside the Premier League. This year Asante Kotoko will celebrate their 90th anniverssry in August and it is good that their come back to Africa is coinciding with their 90th anniversary. I can authoritatively recall this was the wish of the
late legendary football bulldozer Wilberforce Kwadwo Mfum to see Kotoko back in Africa before passing away. He missed the chance narrowly when died in May. But yet to be buried as we mark the traditional One Week Funeral Observation in his home town Hwidiem this week, he would be pleased to learn from the morgue that the magnificent role he played in selling the name of Ghana and Asante Kotoko in Africa cannot be forgotten.
In 1963 when the Black Stars were searching for their first Afcon triumph Mfum set a record by breaking the net in an opening match against Tunisia at Accra Stadium.
National coach C.K. Gyamfi describes the incident as fantastic.
Both the referee and fans were puzzled and it took extensive examination to ascertain Mfum’s power laden shot actually tore the net and a goal given.
Tunisia equalised later to earn a pulsating draw in front of a packed home crowd. Mfum however inspired the team as the tournament progressed and the Black Stars eventually won the cup for the first time with a neat 3-0 win over Sudan in the final.
Two years later, in 1965 when Mfum as captain was poised to lead the Black Stars to defend the trophy in Tunis, he sustained a surprise injury in a final trial match.
As if by some African magic Mfum was in bed at the 37 Military Hospital at the time the Black Stars were defending the cup in Tunis.
Some superstitious fans claimed the Tunisians spiritually prevented Mfum from coming to Tunisia to destroy their nets.
In the absence of Mfum ace central defender Addo Odametey captained the Black Stars to brilliantly defend the title with a hard fought 3-2 win over Tunisia the hosts after extra time. Two years later, 1967 to be precise
at club level Mfum bounced back in style to inspire Asante Kotoko to their first Africa Cup final against Englebert of Congo that Kotoko lost through the toss of a coin. This story will be told in full another time.
Please allow me to end this piece with a conversation I overhead among some football fans. You may wonder some people believe so much in the theory which says names count a lot.
Some die-hards insist Golden Kick lost the FA Cup against Kotoko because their name portends ill luck.
The golden kick alias golden goal introduced by FIFA years ago to decide a winner in extra time is dead and buried. The first to score winning the day is no more. In other words, Golden Kick were dead on arrival at Legon Stadium.
There is no doubt that football is for people with a great sense of humour.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
