African champions Hearts of Oak suffer elimination

Effah

April 22, 2016 1:07 PM

Exactly 15 years today, the holders of the CAF Champions League were handed a 5-1 defeat by the Congolese giants

On Sunday 22nd April, 2001, the defending African Champions League holders, Hearts of Oak made a shocking exit from the CAF competition after losing 5-1 to Etoile du Congo in the delayed first round second-leg match in Brazzaville.

The Ghana champions went out on 6-4 goal aggregate. Hearts won the first-leg 3-1 in Kumasi after coming from a goal down a week earlier.

Etoile took the lead in the 5 minute and added the second in the 34th from the penalty spot through Patrick Loko, after Stephen Tetteh had handled the ball.

Etoile scored three more goals with Patrick Loko on target again with a 30-metre strike. Hearts pulled a goal back in the 58th minute through Amui Quaye but Willie Ngaza made it 5-1 to seal his side's victory.

Hearts had protested the appointment of Angolan match officials for the Etoile game on the grounds that Atletico's involvement might affect the referee's performance.

CAF threw out the protest, but the Ghanaians still had plenty to complain about upon arrival in the Congolese capital.

Hearts accused the Congolese side of ignoring all laid down protocol measures for visiting teams.

Hearts of in 2000 whipped Esperance of Tunis in the CAF Champions League. Despite stumbling in the CAF Champions League; Hearts of Oak dominated in the domestic league that year as they won their 5th consecutive league title and would win the 6th on the trot in 2002, which is a Ghanaian record for most consecutive league titles.

Effah