Opoku Afriyie

Opoku Afriyie (February 2, 1955 - March 29, 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. He worked for Asante Kotoko as Team-Manager.

Opoku Afriyie
Personal information
Date of birth (1955-02-02) February 2, 1955
Place of birth Accra, Ghana
Date of death (2020-03-29)March 29, 2020[1][2]
Place of death Kumasi, Ghana
Position(s) Forward
National team
Ghana 4 (2)

Club football

Opoku Afriyie played for Asante Kotoko for several years before signing for Hearts of Oak prior to ending his footballing career.[3] He was the top scorer in the Ghana domestic football league in 1979 and again in 1981.[4] In 1982, he was nominated for the French magazine France Football African Footballer of the Year. He came eighth.[5] 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.[6]

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.[7] He scored the two goals in the final of that tournament.[8] He also played in the 1980 African Cup of Nations where Ghana failed to defend its title.[9]

Coaching career

Opoku Afriyie was appointed team manager of Asante Kotoko in 2003.[3] He has also served as the team manager and welfare officer of the Black Stars.

Honours
  • 1978 African Cup of Nations - champions
  • 1979 - Top scorer in Ghana domestic league
  • 1981 - Top scorer in Ghana domestic league
  • 1982 African Cup of Nations- champions

Notes
  1. Teye, Prince Narkortu. "Ghana's 1978 Afcon winner Opoku Afriyie confirmed dead". MSN. Goal Ghana. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  2. Alonso, Myke (March 29, 2020). "Opoku Afriyie 'Bayie': Asante Kotoko, Ghana Legend Passes Away At 65". GhanaCrusader.com.
  3. "Opoku-Afriyie Appointed Kotoko's Team Manager". Football News. Modern Ghana Homepage. 17 April 2003. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  4. Batalha, José (1 November 2000). "Ghana - List of Topscorers". Football statistics website. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  5. Pierrend, José Luis (14 February 2000). "African Player of the Year 1982". Football statistics website. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  6. "20 Stars enter CAF's poll". Official website. Ghana Football Association. 10 October 2006. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  7. "Ghana Record at Africa Nations Cup". Sports news. Ghana Home Page. Archived from the original on 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  8. Bediako, Ken. "The Black Stars Story". Unofficial Black Stars website. GhanaBlackStarsLive.com. 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
  9. Courtney, Barrie. "1980 MATCHES - Africa". INTERNATIONAL MATCHES PROJECT - INDEX. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-04-06.


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