Kofi Deblah

Kofi Deblah
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-08-06) 6 August 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth Ghana
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1995 Kumapim Star
1995–1998 Goldfields Obuasi
1999–2001 Liberty Professionals
2002 Diyarbakırspor
International career
Ghana
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kofi Deblah (born 6 August 1971) is a Ghanaian former professional international footballer who played as a striker for Goldfields Obuasi Ashanti Gold in the Ghana Premier League and the Ghana national team.[1][2][3][4][5]

He was a key figure in Goldfields continental football's success in the between 1995 and 1997 including ending the 1995 African Cup of Champions Clubs as the top scorer.[6]

Club career

Deblah played for Goldfields Obuasi now Ashanti Gold in the Ghana Premier League and won the top scorer of the league on two occasions, in the 1995–96 season and 1996–97 season.[7]

On 25 March 1995, Deblah scored four goals against National Port Authority Anchors (NPA Anchors) in the 1995 African Cup of Champions Clubs. He scored a hattrick in six minutes in the 22nd, 24th and 28th and added the fourth in the 76th.[8] At the end of the competition his four goals made him the top scorer even though they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by ASEC Mimosas.

On 6 May 1997, Deblah featured in the 1997 CAF Champions League and scored an away goal in a 2–1 loss to Al-Hilal,[9][10] which inspired Goldfields to a 2–0 victory at home to secure a place in the group stage of the competition. The club finished the competition as runners-up after losing to Raja Casablanca on penalties in the finals.[11][12]

On 10 June 1997, he scored the winning goal in extra time of their Ghana FA Cup quarter-final fixture to beat Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs by 2–1 and book a place in the semi-final against Okwawu United.[13] They however lost the semi-final by a lone goal to Okwawu.[14][15] In July 1997, en route to winning the top scorer for the 1996–97 season, he scored a brace against Bofoakwa Tano to secure a 3–1 league victory.[16]

In 1999, Deblah joined Liberty Professionals, playing as one of the club's experienced players at the time, scoring several goals in Ghana Premier League,[17] including scoring a second half equalizer against Accra Great Olympics in May 1999 to salvage a critical point against the Nungua-based club.[18]

International career

Between 1996 and 1998, Deblah was a member of the Ghana national team, the black stars, he however made his debut on 17 August 1997 in a 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers group stage match against Sierra Leone.[19]

Honours

Goldfields Obuasi

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Kofi Deblah". National Football Teams. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Kotoko vs AshGold in numbers: In all competitive games". Pulse Ghana. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  3. ^ Ackah, Anthony (24 May 1997). Aryeh, Elvis D. (ed.). G'fields to deepen Hearts' woes - Daily Graphic: Issue 1,4449 May 24 1997. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group.
  4. ^ Kissiedu, Samuel (15 March 1997). Provencal, E. N. O. (ed.). Kotoko-Goldfields thriller - The Mirror: Issue 2,207 March 15 1997. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group.
  5. ^ George, Folley (2 June 1997). Aryeh, Elvis D. (ed.). G'fields riout Dwarfs: Daily Graphic: Issue 1,4456 June 2 1997. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group.
  6. ^ Aggrey, Joe (2 December 1997). What coach Herbert said: Graphic Sports: Issue 654 December 2-8 1997. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group.
  7. ^ a b "Ghana Soccer League". GhanaWeb. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  8. ^ Mahamah, George (26 March 2019). "Today In Sports History: Goldfields humiliates N. P. A. Anchors in a Record Champions' Cup Win, Tyson sentenced to prison". e.TVGhana. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  9. ^ Aryeh, Elvis D. (9 May 1997). Goldfields sure to make it - Daily Graphic: Issue 1,4436 1997. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group.
  10. ^ Arthur, P.K. (6 May 1997). Aggrey, Joe (ed.). Graphic Sports: Issue 624 May 6-12 1997. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group.
  11. ^ Gleeson, Mark (29 November 2002). "Penalties fine for Raja". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Today In Sports History: Raja Casablanca beat AshantiGold to win 1997 CAF Champions League". Happy Ghana. 14 December 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  13. ^ Ampratwum-Mensah, Akwasi (9 June 1997). Aryeh, Elvis D. (ed.). Daily Graphic: Issue 1,4462 June 9 1997. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group.
  14. ^ "Goldfields Beat Dwarfs". GhanaWeb. 10 June 1997. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Okwahu Shock Goldfields". GhanaWeb. 3 July 1997. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Obuasi Keeps Title Hopes Alive With Win Over B'kwa". GhanaWeb. 10 July 1997. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Round 4: Premier league Results". Modern Ghana. 30 April 2001. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Ghana: Olympics On Top of Ghana Football League". Panafrican News Agency (Dakar). All Africa. 3 May 1999. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  19. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ghana vs. Sierra Leone (0:2)". National Football Teams. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  20. ^ Arthur, P. K.; Ashianor, Seth (22 February 1997). Provencal, E. N. O. (ed.). A Night to Remember - The Mirror: Issue 2,304 February 22 1997. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group.