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| Rashidi Yekini - Challenged by Three Argentine Defenders at USA 94 |
I
still remember how Rashidi Yekini then playing for Africa Sports of Cote D’
Ivoire used to torment Iwuanyanwu Nationale, then representing Nigeria in the
African Club Champions Cup.
In
the 1988 edition, Nationale had taken a two goal lead to Abidjan and Yekini
proved a hand full to them, notching the first goal and always threatening to
cancel both goals before Toyin Ayinla’s wonder rocket from the center of the
pitch brought the game to a 1 – 1 scoreline.
Then
came the 1990 edition. After dismissing AS Diaraf of Senegal in the first round,
Iwuanyanwu Nationale was again drawn to meet African Sports in the second round.
The Ivorian champions still paraded the
in – form Yekini, who was still smarting from a good tournament at Algiers 90
African Cup of Nations where his three goals helped an inexperienced Clemens
Westerhoff – inspired Nigerian team to
the final.
Yekini
scored early in the first half and later saw his penalty parried by Edward
Ansah in goal for Nationale. When Ifeanyi Aghenu equalized for the Naze boys, every
one thought the Ivorians would be coming for a roasting in the return leg.
As
both teams lined up at the then Ogbe Stadium, Benin City, Yekini’s show of
patriotism did not go beyond the placing of his right hand on his chest as he
sang the Nigerian national anthem with his country men, rather than join his
team mates to sing the Ivorian anthem. This endeared him the more to the full
capacity crowd at the Ogbe Stadium.
However,
that was how far the romance went as the Nigerian nightmare became our
nightmare on the evening.
First
he set up his Ghanaian strike partner, Kwame Ayew to cancel Thompson Oliha’s
first minute goal for Nationale, before scoring the second himself in a
dramatic solo run, rounding up the defense duo of Godwin Eke and Okechukwu Uche
in the process, to give the Ivorian champions a surprise 2-1 lead at half time.
Although
Iwuanyanwu Nationale fought back to win the game 3-2, thanks to Ben Iroha who
shook the roof of the net with a penalty kick and the overlapping Okechukwu who
scored the winner off a brilliant Thompson Oliha bicycle kick cum through pass,
the name on the lips of most soccer fans at the end of the match was Rashidi
Yekini, and even Clemens Westerhoff who
was present on the day poured encomiums on him.
When
the goals father (apology to Mumini Alao of Complete Football) left for Europe later in the same year to lace his boots for
Victoria Setubal of Portugal,
not a few fans of Iwuanyanwu Nationale heaved a sigh of relief. Then the Owerri
based team seemed to have the birth right to represent Nigeria in the then Sekou Toure Cup,
and African Sports with Rashidi Yekini are always likely to be tough customers.
