Opoku Afriyie
{{Short description|Ghanaian footballer (1955–2020)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Opoku Afriyie
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1955|2|2}}
| birth_place = Accra, Ghana
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|3|29|1955|2|2|df=y}}{{cite news |last1=Teye |first1=Prince Narkortu |title=Ghana's 1978 Afcon winner Opoku Afriyie confirmed dead |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/ghanas-1978-afcon-winner-opoku-afriyie-confirmed-dead/ar-BB11Skaa |access-date=29 March 2020 |work=MSN |agency=Goal Ghana |archive-date=29 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329220653/https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/ghanas-1978-afcon-winner-opoku-afriyie-confirmed-dead/ar-BB11Skaa |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.ghanacrusader.com/opoku-afriyie-bayie-asante-kotoko-ghana-legend-passes-away-at-65/ |title=Opoku Afriyie 'Bayie': Asante Kotoko, Ghana Legend Passes Away At 65 |website=GhanaCrusader.com |last=Alonso |first=Myke |date=March 29, 2020}} {{Dead link|date=October 2021}}
| death_place = Kumasi, Ghana
| height =
| position = Forward
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 =
| clubs1 = Asante Kotoko
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 =
| clubs2 = Accra Hearts of Oak
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 =
| clubs3 =
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| totalcaps =
| totalgoals =
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 = Ghana
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| manageryears1 =
| managerclubs1 =
}}
Opoku Afriyie (February 2, 1955 - March 29, 2020) was a Ghanaian footballer. He was popularly called Bayie. He played as a striker and won many caps with Asante Kotoko and the Ghana national football team. He worked for Asante Kotoko as Team-Manager.
Club career
Opoku Afriyie played for Asante Kotoko for several years before signing for Hearts of Oak prior to ending his footballing career.{{cite web |url=http://www.modernghana.com/GhanaHome/SportsArchive/sports_details.asp?id=VFhwTk0wNUVTVDA9&menu_id=1&sub_menu_id=0&gender=Football%20News |title=Opoku-Afriyie Appointed Kotoko's Team Manager |access-date=2007-04-06 |date=17 April 2003 |work=Football News |publisher=Modern Ghana Homepage}} He was the top scorer in the Ghana domestic football league in 1979 and again in 1981.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesg/ghatops.html |title=Ghana - List of Topscorers |access-date=2007-04-06 |date=1 November 2000 |last=Batalha |first=José |work=Football statistics website |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}} In 1982, he was nominated for the French magazine France Football African Footballer of the Year. He came eighth.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/afrpoy82.html |title=African Player of the Year 1982 |access-date=2007-04-06 |last=Pierrend |first=José Luis |date=14 February 2000 |work=Football statistics website |publisher= Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation }} Opoku Afriyie is among 20 other Ghanaians nominated by CAF out of a total of 200 African footballers for the title of the best African player of the last 50 years.{{cite web |url=http://www.ghanafa.org/news/archiveread.asp?contentid=1366 |title=20 Stars enter CAF's poll |access-date=2007-04-06 |date=10 October 2006 |work=Official website |publisher=Ghana Football Association}}
International career
He was a member of the squad that won the 1978 African Cup of Nations making Ghana the first team to win it thrice.{{cite news |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/soccer/can_record.php |title=Ghana Record at Africa Nations Cup |access-date=2007-04-06 |work=Sports news |publisher=Ghana Home Page |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070214001524/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/soccer/can_record.php |archive-date = 2007-02-14}} He scored the two goals in the final of that tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.ghanablackstarslive.com/his_early.php |title=The Black Stars Story |access-date=2007-04-06 |last=Bediako |first=Ken |work=Unofficial Black Stars website |publisher=GhanaBlackStarsLive.com |quote=Thanks to two well executed goals by nimble footed Opoku Afriyie the cup remained in Ghana forever at the expense of the Cranes from Uganda }} He also played in the 1980 African Cup of Nations where Ghana failed to defend its title.{{cite web |url=http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~nfm24/football/1980af.html |title=1980 MATCHES - Africa |access-date=2007-04-06 |last=Courtney |first=Barrie |work=INTERNATIONAL MATCHES PROJECT - INDEX |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930182508/http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~nfm24/football/1980af.html |archive-date = 2007-09-30}}
Coaching career
Opoku Afriyie was appointed team manager of Asante Kotoko in 2003. He has also served as the team manager and welfare officer of the Black Stars.
Honours
= Club =
= International =
Ghana
- African Cup of Nations: 1978, 1982{{cite news|title=Ghana Record at Africa Nations Cup|work=Sports news|publisher=Ghana Home Page|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/soccer/can_record.php|access-date=2007-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070214001524/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/soccer/can_record.php |archive-date=2007-02-14}}
= Individual =
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ghana squad 1978 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Ghana squad 1980 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Ghana squad 1982 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Africa Cup of Nations top scorers}}
{{Ghana Premier League top scorers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Afriyie, Opoku}}
Category:Ghanaian men's footballers
Category:Ghana men's international footballers
Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players
Category:1978 African Cup of Nations players
Category:1980 African Cup of Nations players
Category:1982 African Cup of Nations players
Category:Asante Kotoko S.C. players
Category:Accra Hearts of Oak S.C. players
Category:Ghanaian football managers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Ghana Premier League players
Category:Asante Kotoko S.C. non-playing staff
Category:Ghana Premier League top scorers
Category:20th-century Ghanaian sportsmen
{{Ghana-footy-bio-stub}}