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1978 African Cup of Nations

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1978 African Cup of Nations
Tournament details
Host countryGhana
Dates5–16 March
Teams8
Venue(s)2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Ghana (3rd title)
Runners-up Uganda
Third place Nigeria
Fourth place Tunisia
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored38 (2.38 per match)
Top scorer(s)Ghana Opoku Afriyie
Nigeria Segun Odegbami
Uganda Phillip Omondi
(3 goals each)
Best player(s)Ghana Karim Abdul Razak
← 1976
1980 →

The 1978 African Cup of Nations was the eleventh edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa (CAF). It was hosted by Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. The format of the competition changed from 1976: the field of eight teams was still split into two groups of four, but the final group stage was eliminated in favor of the knockout semifinals used in tournaments prior to 1976 (except 1959). Ghana won its third championship, beating Uganda in the final 2−0.

Ivory Coast and Mali were both disqualified in the second round of qualification: Ivory Coast for using an ineligible player, and Mali after stadium security and police assaulted match officials during the first leg. Since Mali had received a first round walkover after Niger failed to appear, Upper Volta, who had been beaten by the Ivory Coast in the first round, were given their place in the final tournament.

Qualified teams

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Main article: 1978 African Cup of Nations qualification

The 8 qualified teams are:

Team Qualified as Qualified on Previous appearances in tournament[a]
 Ghana Hosts 4 (1963, 1965, 1968, 1970)
 Morocco Holders 14 March 1976 2 (1972, 1976)
 Nigeria 2nd round winners 26 June 1977 2 (1963, 1976)
 Uganda 2nd round winners 26 June 1977 4 (1962, 1968, 1974, 1976)
 Zambia 2nd round winners 26 June 1977 1 (1974)
 Upper Volta[b] 2nd round winners 17 July 1977 0 (debut)
 Congo 2nd round winners 31 July 1977 3 (1968 1972, 1974)
 Tunisia 2nd round winners 16 October 1977 3 (1962, 1963, 1965)
Notes
  1. ^ Bold indicates champion for that year, Italic indicates host.
  2. ^ Ivory Coast originally qualified by beating Mali 2–1 on aggregate, but both teams were disqualified: Ivory Coast for fielding an ineligible player in the second leg, and Mali due to police and stadium security assaulting the match officials during the first leg. Upper Volta, who had lost to Ivory Coast in the previous round, were given their place in the finals[1].

Squads

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Main article: 1978 African Cup of Nations squads

Venues

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The competition was played in two venues in Accra and Kumasi.

Accra
Accra Sports Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Kumasi
Kumasi Sports Stadium
Capacity: 40,500

Group stage

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Tiebreakers

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If two or more teams finished level on points after completion of the group matches, the following tie-breakers were used to determine the final ranking:

  1. Goal difference in all group matches
  2. Greater number of goals scored in all group matches
  3. Drawing of lots

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Ghana (H) 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 5 Advance to Knockout stage
2  Nigeria 3 1 2 0 5 3 +2 4
3  Zambia 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 3
4  Upper Volta 3 0 0 3 2 9 −7 0
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Ghana 2–1 Zambia
Afriyie 21'
Abdul Razak 55'		 Report Kapita 8'
Attendance: 50,000
Nigeria 4–2 Upper Volta
Chukwu 17'
Amiesimaka 31'
Odegbami 44', 82'		 Report Hien 50'
Koïta 52'
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: ... Sylla
Zambia 2–0 Upper Volta
P. Phiri 20'
B. Phiri 88'		 Report
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: C. Monty
Nigeria 1–1 Ghana
Odegbami 33' Report Klutse 76'
Attendance: 60,000
Zambia 0–0 Nigeria
Report
Attendance: 25,000
Ghana 3–0 Upper Volta
Alhassan 3', 59'
Polo 52'		 Report
Attendance: 25,000

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Uganda 3 2 0 1 7 4 +3 4[a] Advance to Knockout stage
2  Tunisia 3 1 2 0 4 2 +2 4[a]
3  Morocco 3 1 1 1 2 4 −2 3
4  Congo 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3 1
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Tied on overall points. Overall goal difference: Uganda +3, Tunisia +2.
Morocco 1–1 Tunisia
Acila 29' Report Kaabi 63'
Uganda 3–1 Congo
Omondi 1'
Semwanga 31'
Kisitu 81'		 Report Mamounoubala 80'
Referee: Hussein Fahmy (Egypt)
Tunisia 3–1 Uganda
Labidi 36'
Ben Aziza 38', 83'		 Report Musenze 71'
Attendance: 50,000
Morocco 1–0 Congo
Acila 28' Report
Attendance: 50,000
Congo 0–0 Tunisia
Report
Attendance: 20,000
Uganda 3–0 Morocco
Kisitu 13'
Nsereko 32'
Omondi 36'		 Report
Attendance: 20,000

Knockout stage

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
 14 March – Accra
 
 
  Ghana 1
 
 16 March – Accra
 
  Tunisia 0
 
  Ghana 2
 
 14 March – Kumasi
 
  Uganda 0
 
  Uganda 2
 
 
  Nigeria 1
 
Third place
 
 
 16 March – Accra
 
 
  Tunisia 1
 
 
  Nigeria 11

Semi-finals

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Ghana 1–0 Tunisia
Abdul Razak 57' Report
Attendance: 10,000
Uganda 2–1 Nigeria
Nasur 11'
Omondi 58'		 Report Eyo 54'
Attendance: 10,000

Third place match

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Nigeria 2–0
(Awarded)		 Tunisia
Mohammed 42' Report Akid 19'

1 The match was abandoned after Tunisia walked off in the 42nd minute with the score tied at 1–1 to protest the officiating. Nigeria were awarded a 2–0 win, and Tunisia were suspended for two years (also banning them from the next tournament).[2]

Final

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Main article: 1978 African Cup of Nations Final
Ghana 2–0 Uganda
Afriyie 38', 64' Report
Attendance: 40,000

Goalscorers

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The two scorers in the third place match were not added.

There were 38 goals scored in 16 matches, for an average of 2.38 goals per match.

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

CAF Team of the Tournament

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[1]

Goalkeeper

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

References

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  1. ^ a b "African Nations Cup 1978". RSSSF. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  2. ^ "16 March 1978 – The Eagles Of Carthage Get Grounded". thisdayinfootballhistory.blogspot.com. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
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