Ghana’s legendary footballer and a two-time AFCON winner in 1963 and 1965, Rev Osei Kofi has shared insights into the events surrounding Ghana’s participation in the 1972 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Sudan.
The Black Stars reached the final but were defeated 1-0.
Reflecting on the tournament, Rev. Osei Kofi expressed confidence that his presence could have altered the outcome.
“I know if I went to Sudan [1972 AFCON], we would have won it,” he asserted. This sentiment was echoed by the late Kwasi Owusu, a former teammate.
“Recently, Kwasi Owusu before he died said, ‘Osei [Kofi] is troublesome, but if he was part of the 1972 group for the AFCON in Sudan, we would have won it.’ They lost the final 1-0,” Kofi recounted.
However, the disappointment of losing the final was compounded by an unusual turn of events during the medal presentation ceremony. Rev. Kofi disclosed that Ghana did not receive their silver medals due to a procedural mishap.
“Instead of the president to present the silver medals to Ghana first, he presented the gold medals to the winning team, so Ghana did not get the silver,” he revealed.
This oversight led to significant frustration among the Ghanaian contingent.
“Somebody sneaked to tell the president that the Ghanaians are furious that they didn’t even receive the silver medals so that night, they were deported back to the country,” Rev. Kofi added, highlighting the abrupt end to Ghana’s AFCON 1972 campaign.
Rev. Osei Kofi’s account sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of Ghanaian football history, underlining both the highs and lows experienced by the Black Stars during their pursuit of continental glory.
Source: JoySports
