Happy 34th Birthday, Stephen Appiah
Stephen Leroy “Tornado” Appiah turns 34 today (born 24th December, 1980), but we will take you back to the day he etched his name in Ghana football history as a 15-year-old against Asante Kotoko… Appiah played only two seasons with Hearts (1995-1997), but he left a lot of sweet memories.
One sunny afternoon, in their Accra Sports Stadium bastion, a youngster by name Stephen Appiah etched his name in the folklore of Hearts-Kotoko rivalry with a scintillating performance in an exhilarating 3-3 thriller at the Nation’s Wembley in 1996.
Hearts, coming to the tail-end of a sixth straight league drought of the 19th century, welcomed league leaders Kumasi Asante Kotoko to the reverse fixture of Ghana’s biggest game at the Accra Sports Stadium on 17th April, 1996.
A precocious star, making headways in Ghanaian football announced his arrival on the world stage with a stirring performance.
It was not so much the results that mattered to Hearts of Oak as the league-decider effect and the prodigy who was at the heart of the drama- the 15-year-old Stephen “Tornado” Appiah.
The 1995/96 season was a two-horse race between Ashanti Region rivals Asante Kotoko and Obuasi Goldfields.
Hearts had watched in horror and jealousy as Goldfields stumbled to city rivals Accra Great Olympics to hand Kotoko the momentum.
Fortunately, the Phobians had the opportunity to have a crucial say as to where the title should go, with this epic fixture against Kotoko in Accra.
The 3-3 draw was a satisfactory result for the Phobians as the Kotoko stumble handed Goldfields the chance to move within two points of Kotoko with two games to end the season. Tema Ghapoha completed the Phobians’ mission of thwarting KOTOKO’s title bid by holding the Porcupine Warriors to a goalless draw in Tema whilst Goldfields won at home to edge out their challengers to retain the 1995/96 league season on goal difference, the third and final triumph of their brief dominance of Ghana football.
So much for the background, let us return to that famous encounter on 17th April, 1996.
Stephen Appiah, in his second and final season for the Rainbow Club, started the scoring for Hearts, but the joy was ephemeral as Kotoko equalised and sailed into a 2-1 lead to keep their title charge alive.
Anthony ‘cannonball’ Tieku levelled for Hearts but the visitors stole the lead again.
Hearts, heading for a second defeat in successive games after losing 2-1 to Afienya, were carried on the lofty shoulders of the young maestro, Appiah.
Stephen Appiah held the game by the scruff of the neck by dancing his way into the Kotoko vital area, and he was mowed down as he shaped to shoot. But before the Referee could point to the spot, the youngster miraculously poked the ball home to draw Hearts on level pegging with the last kick of the game.
By his remarkable feat on the day, Stephen ‘Tornado’ Appiah became the youngest player to ever score a brace in the Hearts-Kotoko rivalry.
The promise that Appiah showed on that day was not belied by any later flaws. On the contrary, he blossomed into a world class player, gracing the most famous pitches in European football with Bologna, Parma, Juventus, and Fenerbahce.
Appiah went ahead to captain the Black Stars to two very successful World Cups.
@HeartsEleven salutes the legend of this great son of the Oak tree.
Do you remember any Stephen Appiah specials in Hearts colours? Share them in the comments box or tweet at @HeartsEleven….. Happy 34th Birthday, Stephen Leroy Appiah, long life and good health.
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