Anthony Baffoe (R) shakes the hand of Saint Joseph (L) before the 1992 AFCON final
Former Black Stars forward Prince Polley has opened up about the heartbreaking loss of the Black Stars in the final of the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
With great players such as Abedi Pele and Anthony Baffoe, the Black Stars were considered one of the tournament favorites.
They lived up to expectations, advancing to the final while defeating giants like Nigeria along the way.
However, Abedi Pele received a yellow card in the semi-final against Nigeria, ruling him out of the final against Ivory Coast. Despite his absence, the Black Stars were still favorites to win the coveted trophy.
Unfortunately, they missed out on the title after losing 10-11 on penalties to Ivory Coast.
According to Polley, the team’s preparations were marred by disagreements over the captaincy, which ultimately cost them the trophy.
Speaking in an interview with Kessben TV, Polley recalled how the decision to appoint Anthony Baffoe as captain for the final over then-assistant captain Anthony Yeboah dampened the team’s spirit.
“What worried us was the final. We all knew that in Abedi Pele’s absence, Tony Yeboah was supposed to be the next captain. But after the squad was announced, the captaincy was given to Tony Baffoe,” he said.
Polley also disclosed how the decision affected Yeboah and the entire team.
“I saw that he was very down and disappointed because he felt disrespected. It had an impact on him, and I believe it even affected the whole squad because the mojo we had going into the match was diminished,” he added.
He further revealed that Yeboah’s frustration led him to refuse the coach’s instructions as the team’s designated penalty taker during the final.
“The coach appointed Yeboah as the penalty taker, but he refused. Imagine someone who didn’t even want to take a penalty playing in the final. That showed how hurt he was, and I believe it affected him deeply,” Polley concluded.
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