Today In Sports History: Hearts of Oak wins Africa Super Cup after beating Zamalek

On this day 11 February 2001 (Exactly 20 years ago today), Accra Hearts of Oak won the African Super Cup after beating Zamalek of Egypt 2-0.

The game in Ghana’s second-largest city Kumasi, pitted the continent’s two best clubs against each other to determine which one really deserves to be called the very best on the continent.

Charles Taylor opened the scoring for Accra Hearts of Oak. It was the Ghanaian side’s fourth trophy of the season after winning Ghana’s league and FA Cup, and the African Champions League in December.

The goals:

The opening goal came in the 12th minute through Charles Taylor who pounced on a mistake by the Egyptian goalkeeper, Abdelwahed El Sayed.

The Egyptian fumbled as he was challenged for an airborne cross by Hearts striker, Ishmael Addo.

Within a minute of the second half, Ghana’s Footballer of the Year, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, scored Hearts’ second goal, with a rather harmless-looking shot after picking up a cross by midfielder, Edmund Copson.

The hosts could have scored more goals but Hearts’ deadly trio of Kuffour, Addo, and Taylor squandered many chances; to the annoyance of many of their fans.

In the 80th minute, Addo curled a volley at the Zamalek goal which went just inches wide as El Sayed crashed himself into the post trying in his efforts to avoid conceding a third goal.

Hearts Line-up: Sammy Adjei, Amankwa Mireku, Jacob Nettey, Dan Quaye, Stephen Tetteh, Edmund Copson, Adja Tetteh/Abdul Razak, Charles Allotey/Emmanuel Adjogu, Ishmael Addo, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Charles Taylor.

Coach: Cecil Jones Attuquayefio

Zamalek Line Up: Abdel Wahed El-Sayed / Ibrahim Hassan / Medhat Abdel Hady / Hossam Abdel Monem / Haytham Farouk / Tarek El-Said / Ahmed Saleh (Tarek El-Sayed) / Tamer Abdel Hamid / Khaled El-Ghandour (El-Hassan Mohamed ) / Hossam Hassan (Abdel Latif El-Doumany ) / Walid Salah Abdel Latif

Coach: Otto Pfister

Referee: Felix Tunyawarimu (Zimbabwe)