CAF AFRICA SUPER LEAGUE

African Champions’ Cup 1988 

In this edition of the African Champions' Cup, an unusual yet almost typical scenario unfolded. Only the Libyan champions, Al-Nasr, withdrew during the first round. The remaining representatives from the leading countries advanced to the semifinals, where penalty shoot-outs determined the finalists.

Entente Sétif (Algeria) faced Al-Ahly (Egypt), with the matches ending 2-0 and 0-2, leading to a 4-2 victory for Entente Sétif in the penalty shoot-out. Similarly, Nigerian club Iwuanyanwu met FAR Rabat (Morocco), with their matches finishing 4-1 and 1-4. Iwuanyanwu triumphed in the shoot-out, winning 5-3. Both semifinal winners achieved their decisive victories away from home, adding to the drama of the competition.

However, the final took a different turn. In the first leg in Ibadan, Iwuanyanwu secured a narrow 1-0 victory. But in the return leg in Constantine, they were overwhelmed, losing 4-0, which handed the Cup to Entente Sétif of Algeria.

Here is a moment from the finals – hard to tell what is celebrated: looks like a goal scored, but in the official records there is no goal scored in the 23rd minute in any leg.

First Leg:
Ibadan, November 26, 1988
Iwuanyanwu Nationale: Ansah, Madu, Obi, Ekpo, Godwin Eke, Uwe, Ozogula, Ukaegbu, Uwakwe Eke, Oliha, Uzokine.
Entente Sétif: Osmani, Nabti, Adjes, Bernaoui, Serrar, Boulehdjilet, Rais, Zorgane, Rahmani,
Adjissa, Doudou.
Referee: Idrissa Traoré (Mali)

Second Leg:
Constantine, December 9, 1988
Entente Sétif: Osmani, Adjas, Nabti, Bernaoui, Serrar, Boulehdjilet, Bendjaballah, Zorgane, Gherib,
Adjissa, Rahmani.

Iwuanyanwu Nationale: Ansah, Benson, Toyin, Levi, Godwin Eke, Uwe, Ekarika, Ukaegbu, Uwakwe Eke, Ekpo, Ozdgula.
Referee: Badara Sene (Senegal)

Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Owerri) confirmed the steady ascent of Nigerian football. They lost, but still reaching the final was a triumph.

ES Setif was the second Algerian club winning African cup. Back in 1976 Mouloudia d’Algiers won after penalty shoot-out drama – ES Setif bettered that with a clean victory.

In the home leg they were supreme, leaving no doubt who deserves the trophy. Their first! And in the year when they were relegated from First Division, as it happened

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