Now we come to the bit of the season with the challenge. Trying to bring Asante back to the top of African football.
Even though we won the Confederations Cup, we only get to bypass the first round of qualification. No one gets a free ride, which I like. Need not worry though as once again, qualification for the big show was nothing to break a sweat over. Nothing really stands out here, just a couple of regulation wins on our way to the group stages.
There we would get a lovely variety of opponents that would keep us nice and sharp. We land in a group that includes DR Congo side Vita FC, CSS of Tunisia and in a twist I didn’t like coming, last year’s finale opponents Zamalek.
This actually proves to be a fun group, with us all reasonably well matched and some good matches as a result. In what is shockingly our first loss in a competitive fixture with the Porcupine Warriors, we go down away to CSS, but good wins against Vita and some proper ding-dongs against Zamalek end with us edging out the Egyptian champs to top the group.
Our reward for winning the group is a game against everyone’s favourite team from Jo-burg and Leeds based pop-rock band, the Kaiser Chiefs.
The first leg was a match to make me question if any of my players had tried to rig the result. After taking a nice secure 2-0 lead, we just couldn't make any further headway. Chance after chance after chance came and went without us hitting the back of the net. We might have won, but Oh My God we should have won by a cricket score. The boys in yellow and black weren’t going to be so lucky when they came to the Baba Yara stadium though.
This was my Porcupine Warriors at their very best. Every time we came forward we looked like scoring, and most the time, did. It was a complete performance, with us absolutely shredding the South African side before the referee whistled and brought them mercy. This was a gem of a effort from them, a real Ruby.
After we’d made it half a dozen goals by half time, I was starting to Predict a Riot within the away fans. Whilst I bet they’d never felt this far away from home, the Chiefs did tighten up in the second half, pulling back a consolation and stopping us racking up any further embarrassment.
I’m not going to apologise for the number of terrible jokes in those last couple of paragraphs, even if you now say that Every Day I Love You Less and Less.
Now we come to the much bigger test against ES Tunis. They massively outclassed us during the Super Cup match, so they are absolutely a team I fear. Even if they have a fun little kid on their badge.
With the first match at home, the lads are keen to make the most of the opportunity and start the match brightly. Jordan Ayew makes the half time team talk much nicer with a delightful goal just before the break. It’s much more even after the orange slices though, with Tunis getting an equaliser that featured more than a slice of luck, taking two deflections before going in the net. And there it stays, with neither of finding enough quality to make a difference.
Understandably, my hopes for the away leg were not high. I honestly thought that we had blown our chance. It’s nice to be proved wrong sometimes though.
Throughout the season, we’ve been synonymous with short, intricate passing and using the full width of the pitch to pry the opponent apart. With this in mind, it’s quite funny that the thing that finally puts Tunis away not once, but twice, was an old-fashioned punt-and-run. Firstly Mrezigue and then Lamine pick the ball up deep and just hoof it up for Obeng to chase. He shrugs off the oncoming Tunisian centre backs and fires emphatically inside the near post. Sean Dyche would be proud.
I have no idea how Obeng has struggled so much throughout his career in Spain. I know this isn’t prime Barcelona we’re facing, but he’s shown more than enough quality over the year to easily make it at a higher level.
When we conceded a silly penalty just minutes later, history was proved once and for all to not be repeating. It seems that lady luck is shining on us to though as not only does Tunis’ taker hit the post, he doesn’t even try to get the rebound. Victory, and revenge, is ours!
So here it is, a perfect repeat of last year’s Confederation Cup final and yet another couple of matches against The Royal Club. After this we’ll have now played them six times within the last twelve months. Feel like I see them more than my family.
Zamalek aren’t the all-conquering force they were last year, as Ah-Ahly have risen back up to be prominent force in Egypt. The two sides remain very equal though, as their semi-final showed. A tough tie between the two that was only solved on away goals for The White Knights. Underestimating them would still be an enormous mistake, as Zamalek still have a wage budget eight times larger than ours. We might be spending a lot in Ghana, but that is nothing compared to the clubs in Cairo.
The difference showed in this first game. Whilst Mensah opened the scoring with a fantastic curling effort, it was the only chance we were able to make before
Zamalek eventually found a deserved equaliser just before half time.
Whilst the stats show that it was a scrappy game of few chances, if any chance was being created, it was by the team in white. After a couple of lucky escapes, the Cairo International Stadium was sent into raptures by a completely unmarked Hassan Ali launching a volley past Asare and giving them the lead.
As the final whistle was called, I was just thankful that we didn’t have more of a mountain to climb for the second leg.
With our captain goalkeeper and attacking midfielder out of the return leg due to international duty, my hopes of turning this tie around are scant. The last time I played Sekeye in a knockout game this year, we were promptly knocked out of the Ghanaian Cup. Sylla’s absence makes me shift tactic as well, back to the original form of the Christmas tree formation.
However, I’m rather taken aback when I see the Zamalek line-up. Two teenagers leading the line seems a little weird, which makes me take a look at their squad. We may be without two key players for this match, but Zamalek have been gutted, with half a dozen of their first team squad away with The Pharoahs. If there was ever a time to strike, then that time is now!
Immediately I can tell that this isn’t the same Zamalek team that was so threatening back in Cairo. From the kick off, we are dominant. This is turning into a match of us versus the Zamalek goalkeeper and despite his best efforts, we’re not to be denied for long. A lovely cross from Annan and Obeng leaps salmon like to beat the keeper and nod us into the lead on the night and draw the tie.
For a full hour then we pepper the Zamalek goal until what has now become our continental one-two punch. Mrezigue picks up the ball, picks out Obeng with a lovely lofted through ball and the big man slots his shot into the net. Naturally, the crowd, as well as myself, go wild. This is going better than I could have ever hoped for. The only thing that could make it better, is a third goal to make it all safe. We’re not waiting too long.
Once again, it’s that man Obeng who’s in exactly the right place at the right time to finish off a lovely flowing move and surely make the tie safe. Obeng has been a force in these clutch games and has properly cemented his spot in the side. He becomes the first player since 2001 to score a hat-trick in the final before then really sticking the boot in on Zamalek’s keeper and become the first ever to score four just before the final whistle.
And that’s it! I haven’t been able to contain myself on the touchline, cheering and cackling at the ridiculousness of this situation, but the final whistle brings out the biggest cheer of all. All the hard work on the training pitch, the scouting centre and the tactics room have been worth it. 44 years of hurt are finally over and that we could do this in front of our home fans makes it all the sweeter. ****, the win is so sweet that it might give me diabetes!
As our young star John Mensah prepares to lift the trophy, I can’t help but be incredibly proud of this group of lads. This is a squad that has written itself into Ghanaian football history, that has defied the odds and beaten the very best from the continent to claim the ultimate prize. Let’s try and do it all again next season.