Opoku Afriyie

Opoku Afriyie
Personal information
Date of birth (1955-02-02)2 February 1955
Place of birth Accra, Ghana
Date of death 29 March 2020(2020-03-29) (aged 65)[1][2]
Place of death Kumasi, Ghana
Position Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1983 Asante Kotoko (76+)
1983–1985 Accra Hearts of Oak
International career
1976–1985 Ghana 11 (3)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Opoku Afriyie (2 February 1955 – 29 March 2020) was a Ghanaian footballer. He was popularly called Bayie. He played as a striker and won many caps with Asante Kotoko and the Ghana national football team.[3] He worked for Asante Kotoko as Team-Manager.

Club career

Opoku Afriyie played for Asante Kotoko for several years before signing for Hearts of Oak prior to ending his footballing career.[4] He was the top scorer in the Ghana domestic football league in 1979 and again in 1981.[5] In 1982, he was nominated for the French magazine France Football African Footballer of the Year. He came eighth.[6] Opoku Afriyie is among 20 other Ghanaians nominated by CAF out of a total of 200 African footballers for the title of the best African player of the last 50 years.[7]

International career

He was a member of the squad that won the 1978 African Cup of Nations making Ghana the first team to win it thrice.[8] He scored the two goals in the final of that tournament.[9] He also played in the 1980 African Cup of Nations where Ghana failed to defend its title.[10]

Coaching career

Opoku Afriyie was appointed team manager of Asante Kotoko in 2003.[4] He has also served as the team manager and welfare officer of the Black Stars.

Honours

Club

Asante Kotoko[11]

International

Ghana

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Teye, Prince Narkortu. "Ghana's 1978 Afcon winner Opoku Afriyie confirmed dead". MSN. Goal Ghana. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  2. ↑ Alonso, Myke (March 29, 2020). "Opoku Afriyie 'Bayie': Asante Kotoko, Ghana Legend Passes Away At 65". GhanaCrusader.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Opoku Afriyie". National Football Teams.
  4. 1 2 "Opoku-Afriyie Appointed Kotoko's Team Manager". Football News. Modern Ghana Homepage. 17 April 2003. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  5. ↑ Batalha, José (1 November 2000). "Ghana - List of Topscorers". Football statistics website. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  6. ↑ Pierrend, José Luis (14 February 2000). "African Player of the Year 1982". Football statistics website. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  7. ↑ "20 Stars enter CAF's poll". Official website. Ghana Football Association. 10 October 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  8. ↑ "Ghana Record at Africa Nations Cup". Sports news. Ghana Home Page. Archived from the original on 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  9. ↑ Bediako, Ken. "The Black Stars Story". Unofficial Black Stars website. GhanaBlackStarsLive.com. Archived from the original on 2007-03-04. Retrieved 2007-04-06. Thanks to two well executed goals by nimble footed Opoku Afriyie the cup remained in Ghana forever at the expense of the Cranes from Uganda
  10. ↑ Courtney, Barrie. "1980 MATCHES - Africa". INTERNATIONAL MATCHES PROJECT - INDEX. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  11. ↑ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Opoku Afriyie". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  12. ↑ "Ghana Record at Africa Nations Cup". Sports news. Ghana Home Page. Archived from the original on 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  13. ↑ "Ghana - List of Topscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
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