1999: Spain steal the show in South Africa
Thursday 1 January 2009
e-mail
Print
Digg
Save
Spain celebrate their 1999 triumph (©UEFA)
The second UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup, in 1999, was the first to be held on the African continent as South Africa were selected as hosts, although it was a European side who lifted the trophy for the first time with Spain, runners-up two years previously, overcoming Ghana in the final.
Two groups
The eight qualifiers were divided into two groups of four, with Egypt and the hosts joining Spain and the Republic of Ireland in Group A and Ghana, Italy, Nigeria and Portugal in Group B. Matchday 1 gave an indication of how well-matched the teams were, Egypt earning a goalless draw against a Spain team featuring Iker Casillas and Vicente Rodríguez, while Ireland edged past the hosts 2-1. Two days later Spain and Egypt both recorded 3-1 wins, the former coming from a goal down against Ireland with Roberto Trashorras scoring twice, and the latter seeing off South Africa, Hossam Ghaly and Mohamed Shawky on the scoresheet. Those results left the victorious pair in pole position to progress to the semi-finals and they duly sealed their places in the final fixtures, Spain sweeping past South Africa 6-0 and Egypt earning the point they needed to edge out Ireland thanks to a 1-1 draw.
Ghana dominate
There was one dominant power in Group B, however, Ghana displaying their class in their first match when a team including Michael Essien pushed Portugal aside 3-0. The match between Nigeria and Italy ended 1-1 and that pattern continued in the second round of games, Daniel Amoah and Derek Boateng scoring late on to give Ghana a 3-1 win against Nigeria while there was also a sting in the tail in the match between Italy and Portugal, Andrea Pisanu and Samuele Dalla Bona finding the net in the final 16 minute as the Azzurrini came from 2-0 down to force a draw. Ghana were therefore already through as group winners yet collected maximum points against Italy in their last game, Amoah scoring a 90th-minute winner to end the European side's challenge and allow Portugal – who drew 2-2 with Nigeria – to claim the runners-up berth.
Semi-final drama
The semi-finals pitted Spain against Portugal while Ghana met Egypt, and it was the two group winners who again came out on top. Spain recovered from going behind just before half-time to prevail 3-1 in Cape Town, David Aganzo getting two second-half goals, while Ghana saw off their African rivals 4-2 with Boateng on target for the fourth successive game. There was some consolation for Portugual as they held their nerve to win 3-1 in the penalty shoot-out that decided the third-place play-off against Egypt after a goalless 90 minutes.
Spain success
Spain had lost to Nigeria in the 1997 final but were not about to make a similar mistake this time round and seized the initiative as early as the second minute thanks to an own goal from Ghana's Stephen Tetteh. Aganzo doubled the advantage in the 29th minute and, although Bernard Bortey brought Ghana back into contention nine minutes before half-time, Spain survived the second half unscathed to take the trophy.
©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.
