Amokachi, the African who scored the first-ever Uefa Champions League goal

At 17, most footballers are only dreaming of their debut for their national teams. Not Daniel Amokachi. At that age, he was already playing for Nigeria at the 1990 African Nations Cup.

Not that the Super Eagles lacked attackers; they had Rashidi Yekini, one of Africa’s best strikers, but Dutch manager Clemens Westerhof saw potential in the teenage Amokachi.

Amokachi never scored despite playing in most games as Nigeria lost the final to hosts Algeria, but European clubs were watching.

Soon, Club Brugge took him to Belgium. And the powerful striker who later acquired “the Bull” moniker, scored 35 goals in 81 matches. It was here that he also engraved his name in the annals of European football as the first player to score in the Uefa Champions League, in Brugge’s 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow in the group stage on November 25, 1992.

At the 1994 Afcon, Amokachi only scored a spot-kick in the 4-2 semifinal defeat of Ivory Coast as Nigeria won the tournament. But alongside countrymen Rashidi Yekini, Jay-Jay Okocha and Benedict Iroha, he made the team of the tournament.

Finally, Amokachi made his mark at the USA ‘94 World Cup, scoring in the 3-0 defeat of Bulgaria and the 2-0 win over Greece to lead Group D that saw three teams tie on six points and Diego Maradona’s Argentina eliminated on goal difference.

He exuded pace, power and heart. Against Bulgaria, he won the ball on the right side of the area, where he seemed to have fouled a defender, beat the goalkeeper, before curving the ball home with his left. In joy he danced.

The one against Greece was even better. He got the ball in about 25 yards, turned, slaloming past three markers, and shot from outside the area. Tony Yeboah style.
Amokachi started against Italy in the Round of 16 but the Super Eagles lost to Roberto Baggio’s double after Emanuel Amunike’s opener in the 26th minute.

After the tournament, bigger clubs like Juventus came calling. Everton, desperate for change after narrowly escaping relegation in the 1993-94 season, signed Amokachi for $5m, a record signing.

By then, Everton was dubbed “racist” for not using black players, even though Cliff Marshall played seven times for the Toffees in the 1970s. Now Amokachi became the first high profile black player to sign for the club. Most Everton fans dreamt that he would be their John Barnes (Liverpool legend).

Tough start
A raucous applause welcomed Amokachi at Goodison Park before Everton lost 2-1 to Nottingham Forest.

His debut was in a 3-0 defeat away to future champions Blackburn. September 17, his home debut, Amokachi scored in a 1-1 draw against QPR. But he also wasted many clear chances and his heading inability caused concern.
The doubters were armed by the striker’s failure to score in his next 11 games. But the fans found something lovable with Amokachi’s searing speed, and aggressive style of play.

Joe Royle, who replaced Mike Walker, adopted a more defensive approach. The day Amokachi played in his preferred withdrawn striker role, he contributed to the 2-0 victory against Liverpool. Unfortunately, the same day Scott Duncan Ferguson rose as the new fan’s favourite.

Self- appointed sub
Since then, Royle left Amokachi out of his squad until mid-March, even when his first choice Paul Rideout and Ferguson were injured. Still, the crowds stood by the estranged striker.

Coming on as a substitute with QPR leading 1-0 at halftime, Amokachi’s tenacity turned the game into Everton’s 3-2 win. He would start once more before he was relegated to the bench, again, in the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham.
This was Everton’s biggest game of the season. Spurs were outright favourites but Everton went ahead 2-1. Tottenham did not cease to attack in the 70th minute, Rideout was injured. Royle told Amokachi to warm up.

Royle wanted Rideout to try on. Meanwhile, Amokachi, tired of “this nonsense,” peeled off his tracks and duped one of Royle’s assistants to announce his entry.
Royle shouted in protest, but Amokachi ignored him and stormed the pitch. He had to impress, otherwise, his exit was wide open.

Fortunately, the rebellious striker scored twice in the last eight minutes to seal an emphatic 4-1 victory and soon the crowds at Elland Road were chanting “Amo! Amo!”
Finally, Amokachi became a starter in the 1995/96 season, but a run of three goals in 16 games sent him to his dreaded position – the bench, again.

In the second half of the season, he only started four games. Soon, he joined Beşiktaş for just $1.7m.
Maybe, Amokachi needed a morale booster. But back home, dictator Sani Abacha blocked Nigeria from travelling to South Africa for the 1996 Afcon, claiming he could not guarantee the team’s safety there.

But the wiser guess was that Abacha was punishing Nelson Mandela for calling on countries to boycott Nigeria’s oil after Abacha allegedly executed journalist and civil rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other dissidents.
Some months later, Amokachi got the consolation by scoring the equaliser in the 3-2 win against Argentina in the 1996 Olympics final in Atlanta.  Amunike scored the dramatic winner as the game neared extra time.

On that memorable night
Amokachi has very fond memories of Brugge, where he begun professional football. There he has a Belgian couple, his foster parents, who took him in unconditionally.
“He was very young and quiet,” his ‘father’ said of Amokachi when he visited the family years later, with a bouquet of flowers.
He was not the first African player they had treated as family, “But we never had an Amokachi,” the man added, smiling.

But his fondest memory in the city was his goal against CSKA Moscow November 25, 1992, the first goal on the first night Europe’s most prestigious club championship became the Champions League.  
“My finest moment (at the club) would have to be my goal in the Champions League against CSKA Moscow. That goal brought me my fame, really, as it was the very first goal in the history of the Champions League,” he told Goal in 2008.

The sudden goodbye
At France 98 World Cup, Serbian manager Bora Milutinović only played Amokachi for the 1-0 win over Bulgaria.
After three seasons in Turkey, winning the Turkish Cup, Amokachi’s career came to a sudden end due to injury. He was only 27.

He had scored 13 goals in 44 caps for the Super Eagles. Yet Everton can never forget his contribution to their last trophy since then.
At 47, Amokachi is Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Sports, having served in different coaching roles.

At a glance

Born. Dec. 30, 1972 (age 47)
POB: Kaduna, Nigeria
Height 5 ft 11
Playing position(s):  Forward
Post-retirement: Coaching, presidential advisor
HONOURS
Everton
FA Cup: 1994-95
FA Charity Shield: 1995
Beşiktaş
Turkish Cup: 1997-98
Nigeria
African Cup of Nations: 1994
Olympics: Gold Medal 1996
Individual
Beşiktaş’ 2000th league goal
Champs League First Goal: 1992
Belgian Ebony Shoes Award: 1992, 1994

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