Sankofa Series: The Tlemcen Disaster, the game that ‘killed’ Abukari Damba and Ghana’s 1994 World Cup hopes

Whenever Abukari Damba talks about the events of February 26, 1993, he does so with a lot of pain and regret which is evidence of the significance of the game not just to Ghana, but to his career and life.

The events of February 26, 1993, did not just rob Ghana of a place in the 1994 World Cup but also cost him a dream move to Paris Saint-German, which could have changed the course of his career and life.

In an interview with GhanaWeb in 2021, Damba recounted events that ensued between Ghana and Algeria at the stadium in Tlemcen, Algeria.

“My biggest moment is when I was involved in the Ghana versus Algeria match in 1993. It was the second leg and if we had qualified, we would have gotten to the World Cup. I would have been one of the goalkeepers to qualify Ghana for the World Cup for the first time. That game meant a lot to me.

“That time made and unmade me. It was a time when I was in my element. It was a time I should have shown whatever I had in me to the whole world by taking Ghana to the World Cup. It was in that particular game that I crumbled.

“Black Stars were in camp preparing for the Algeria game and while we were in France, most of the clubs were scouting us and I was one of the hotcakes, especially for PSG. I was on their radar and they followed the Black Stars to Algeria to watch the game. I was given an opportunity to play and it was one of the worst performances of my life.

“Anytime I remember it, I see what it did to me as an individual, my family and my admirers but more importantly, my country. It would have been a turning point in my career. I don’t feel that I let my country down but I let myself down. I wish at that time anyone could put himself in my shoes. If you are not strong, you could commit suicide. I didn’t consider suicide because I had good people around me but it affected me because I thought I was on top of the world and the next moment I was down and everyone was pointing fingers at me. The whole country pointed fingers at me, my teammates, my fans, but I thank God I’m still alive and can teach it,” he narrated.

What happened in the game

For Ghanaians old enough to have witnessed the game, the match, which has now been christened ‘the Tlemcen Disaster,’ was a heart-breaking event that unfolded right before their eyes.

It was the penultimate qualifying match for the 1994 World Cup and Ghana, with all of its stars present, needed to avoid defeat to advance to the last round of qualifiers.

Events preceding the game, which included an arrest of an Algerian citizen who had made his house available to Ghanaian students who intended to prepare dishes for the Black Stars players after the game, had heightened tensions.

The arrest of the Algerian citizen triggered a diplomatic row, with the head of the Ghanaian mission in Algeria teaming up with then Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, ET Mensah, to ensure that the arrested Algerian was released by the authorities.

Against this backdrop and the mere fact that a win would move either country a step closer to the 1994 World Cup, which was held in the USA, there was all to play for in the game, with the Black Stars being favourites.

It did not take long for Ghana to live up to their pre-match hype, with CK Akonnor connecting an Abedi Pele cross to give the country the lead in the 15th minute.

After the early goal, expectations were that the Black Stars would run riot over their opponents, but with the rain pouring down in droves and the pitch getting soggy, the team lost their ability to play the ball on the ground and dominate possession.

The Black Stars still managed to end the first half with a slim lead.

The second half, however, told a different story with the Black Stars conceding two goals, which by Damba's own admission, were due to his errors.

In the 57th minute, Algeria scored after Abukari failed to grab a miskicked loose ball by Joe Odoi, which allowed Algeria’s Brahimi to score.

The second goal was even more embarrassing for Damba as he failed to stop a cross from the left by palming the ball onto the foot of unmarked Brahimi, who tapped it into the net.

The game ended 2-1 with Algeria progressing and Ghana being kicked out.

Below is Ghana’s squad

Ghana Line-up: Abukari Damba, Isaac Asare, Joseph Odoi, Frimpong Manso, Anthony Baffoe, Yaw Acheampong (Emmanuel Armah), Ali Ibrahim, Prince Polley (Kwame Ayew), Anthony Yeboah, Abedi ‘Pelé’ Ayew, Charles Akunnor

Coach: Otto Pfister (Germany)