Ghana win London World Cup

New African, Oct 1999 by Goodwin, Clayton

Football is the African sport. This contention, which has become obvious from the success which national teams from the continent have achieved at world level - and the renown of individual African players in European clubs, was given extra point by the performance of West African emigres in the Western Union-sponsored Inner City World Cup tournament held recently at Wimbledon in London.

Ghana retained the trophy which they had won the previous year. Former champions, Sierra Leone, came second; and Cote d'Ivoire fourth - only thirdplaced Jamaica prevented a complete African shut-out of the competition in which 32 countries from across the world participated.

Lovette Quartey, co-ordinator and midfield player for Ghana who divides his time between London and Accra, took New African through the history of the team and the way in which the Cup was won.

The players, several of whom have experience with professional and semi-professional clubs `at home' or in the countries in which they live now, come together especially for this tournament. The majority are based in London and represent a cross-section of manual and office occupations, Their success is thereby to their greater credit as a good number of the opposing sides play regularly together as teams in established leagues.

The Ghanaians have an established record of coming from behind to win, which Lovette attributed to their emphasis on defence. This strategy was seen to best effect by the manner in which they outplayed the eye-catching Sierra Leoneans, who had won the tournament for four straight years until Ghana started their own 'reign'.

Before that, however, they had to get through the preliminary round - and it wasn't easy. Ghana qualified only as second in their group. After drawing against France and Pakistan, they had to beat Ecuador 3-0 to qualify.

Sierra Leone, who had ended the involvement of host country England, Pakistan and Argentina, had the better record at that stage.

That is when Ghana's remarkable defensive record and penchant for taking penalty kicks was now seen to best effect. They qualifled for the semi-final by beating Iraq on penalties, after drawing 1-1 in normal time. They next overcame Cote d'Ivoire by a similar route.

In contrast, high-scoring teams such as China and Mauritius had been eliminated comparatively early in the tournament.

With so many drawn matches along the way, it was seemingly inevitable that Ghana needed to resort again to penalties to win the Final. Was there a tip that Quartey could give the England national team who have made something of a tradition of missing vital penalties in major international competitions?

"Some people think that you do not have to have a plan for taking penalties, but it is not so," said Quartey. "You have to outthink the opposing goalkeeper. Whatever you do, you have to hit the ball firmly so that even if the keeper realises what you are doing, he will still not be able to stop the shot".

The defensive performance of the African teams in this tournament is outstanding - to the consternation of those commentators who see the continent's performance solely in terms of the flamboyant Nigerian national side.

Statistics show that Sierra Leone have not been beaten in normal time for six years since the competition began (encompassing 46 games).

Ghana, too, are unbeaten over 16 games in the two years of their participation (they have a 100% record in that sense, having won the cup twice for the two years they have played in the tournament).

Cote d'Ivoire have lost only to Ghana and Sierra Leone on penalties in a final and semifinal. No wonder the Inner City World Cup has the word 'African' stamped right on it.

Yet the West Africans are learning rapidly from their Caribbean counterparts in terms of spectator support. The banners and African drums are now evident (even though on this occasion a rainstorm well, it was in England after all! caused fans and flags to seek an undignified shelter). Quartey was pleased to note an increase in the number of Ghanaian women attending to support the side - after all in Ghana, football is a sport for all the family.

Quartey was initially reluctant to praise any individuals from what was essentially a team performance, but when pressed drew attention to the contribution of goalkeeper Richard Obimpeh. Promoter Mark Abery told New African that in the game against Iraq, "Ghana's keeper kept them in the Cup with some unbelievable saves."

Football is on the march throughout the world: and African football is marching to a greater pace than most. Quartey is looking towards the promotion of a Pan-African tournament in the UK or to linking up in competition with similar African teams elsewhere in Europe.

The African national teams, too, could well learn a lesson from the `Reggae Boyz' of Jamaica in taking a greater note of their compatriots d'Outremer when they are invited to play overseas. And what greater incentive could there be than for the top clubs in Ghana or elsewhere in Africa to offer these excellent ambassadors for their country a match before their "home" spectators.