When MorumBIS welcomed Ghana | OneFootball

With MorumBIS Stadium practically completed and about to be officially inaugurated on January 25, 1970, São Paulo received an illustrious visitor at the end of the 1969 season: the Ghana national team. As on this June 23 the African side faces England in the 2026 World Cup, the Historical Archive draws on that fact to recall what happened nearly 57 years ago.

The year 1969 was highly fruitful for the Tricolor in terms of results and international achievements, such as winning the Colombino Trophy. To close the season well, the club agreed to be part of the Ghana national team’s tour of Brazil. It was the Ghanaians’ fourth match on Brazilian soil (first they lost 2-1 to Desportiva Ferroviária, from Espírito Santo, then drew 0-0 with Fluminense de Feira de Santana, and finally defeated the Sergipe State Team 5-1).

Ghana (still written as Ghana, according to the spelling of the time), had been eliminated only a few months earlier from the World Cup qualifiers by Nigeria, after an away defeat and a draw in Accra. In Brazil, they sought to broaden their understanding of football as a way to gain experience for the 1970 African Cup of Nations, which would be held in Sudan — Ghana had won that tournament in 1963 and 1965 and was seeking a third title.

For a member of the Black Stars’ coaching staff (Black Stars being the official nickname of the Ghanaian national team, in reference to the black star on the country’s flag), Ben Koufie, the important thing was contact with new ways of playing. “For him, the cunning and improvisation his players may learn are more important,” reported the O Estado de S. Paulo journalist on December 6.

“All the players are amateurs. Some work for the government and our left winger is a truck driver. Everyone works and only has time for daily training when they are with the national team, because the government makes sure they are released at those times. When they are serving their clubs, they train once or twice a week, after work,” revealed the foreign team’s coach.

Asante Kotoko (African runner-up in 1967 and future champion in 1970) and Hearts of Oak were the backbone clubs of the Ghana team, whose greatest characteristic was speed, concentrated in precise and incisive attacks. São Paulo, under coach Diede Lameiro, was known for its measured tempo.

The Tricolor was very much in end-of-year rhythm, with many players returning from injuries and lacking match sharpness, such as goalkeeper Picasso, midfielder Gérson, and center-forward Toninho Guerreiro. Even so, called up for training camp were Picasso, Sérgio, Arlindo, Nenê, Dias, Tenente, Edson, Gérson, Benê, Nicanor, Zé Roberto, Toninho, Téia, Paraná, Wylherson, Vilela, Lourival, Babá, and Toninho II.

Once the ball started rolling, São Paulo quickly realized that an easy rout was very possible, almost mandatory. In less than five minutes, Gérson opened the scoring after a passing move with Toninho and Zé Roberto. Five minutes later, the Tricolor doubled the lead, this time through Toninho, who received a low cross from Nicanor (who may perhaps have been offside, but who can say…).

Next, Zé Roberto missed a bicycle-kick goal as the ball brushed the post. With the match under control, and other big chances wasted, São Paulo relaxed. Near the end of the first half, punishment came: Ghana, through Owusu — supposedly also offside — broke through in behind, beat Dias in a foot race, and struck hard, almost into the crossbar, down the middle of Picasso’s goal. 2-1.

The goal renewed spirits and gave the Ghanaians more energy in the second half. Overeager, however, they either ended up being dribbled past easily or committed rough and violent fouls. Trying to conserve themselves, the Tricolor gradually lowered the tempo and barely threatened anymore. In the 20th minute, the Africans’ persistence was rewarded and, after a first-time shot by Acquah from an Owusu cross, Picasso made a mistake and let the ball in, as it slipped under the goalkeeper’s body. 2-2.

That was when the Tricolors woke up. They began to attack more and stopped avoiding challenges. In one of those, however, Toninho Guerreiro came off worse and left the field injured, with a severe ankle dislocation. As São Paulo had already made two substitutions by that point (the maximum allowed in an official match at the time), the team was left with one man fewer on the field…

Even so, what followed was heavy São Paulo pressure, forcing goalkeeper Mensah into a string of saves in just a few minutes. Nenê, however, in the 36th minute, deceived the opposition with a rehearsed free-kick routine with Gérson and put São Paulo back in front. Close to stoppage time, the Tricolors found the net once more after a penalty committed by Mingle on Gérson, coolly converted by Zé Roberto into the African goalkeeper’s right corner. São Paulo 4-2!

It was a great experience for Ghana. Days later, the national team would also face Palmeiras at Pacaembu (and lose 3-1). From Brazil, they took away good stories and experiences that helped the team reach the final of the 1970 African Cup of Nations once again — they ended up runners-up to the hosts, Sudan.

SÃO PAULO 4 x 2 GHANA12/06/1969. International Friendly: Single Match.São Paulo (SP), Cícero Pompeu de Toledo Stadium – MorumBIS.

SPFC: Picasso; Arlindo, Roberto Dias (Cláudio Deodato), Nenê and Tenente; Édson Cegonha and Gérson; Nicanor (Valter Zum-Zum), Zé Roberto, Toninho Guerreiro and Paraná. COACH: Diede Lameiro. GOALS: Gérson, 5/1; Toninho Guerreiro, 10/1; Nenê (free kick), 36/2; Zé Roberto (penalty), 45/2.

OPPONENT: Essel Badu Mensah; Edward Boye, Armah Akuetteh, John Eshun and Alex Mingle; Oliver Acquah, Joseph “Joe” Garthey, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio and Robert William Foley; Kwasi Owusu and Abukari Garibah. COACH: Karl-Heinz Marotzke. GOALS: Owusu, 40/1; Acquah, 20/2.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.