It has been a long 19 years since Ghana qualified for the men’s football event of the greatest sports showpiece in the world, ‘ The Olympics’.
The Black Meteors qualified for the 2004 summer Olympics in Greece led by Portuguese tactician, Mariano Barreto, who assembled an 18-man squad to represent the country, namely;
George Owu, Mohammed Alhassan, Nasir Lamine, John Paintsil, Emmanuel Addoquaye Pappoe, Patrick Villars, Daniel Coleman, John Mensah, Emmanuel Osei Obuor, Yusif Chibsah, Abubakari Yahuza, William Tiero, Stephen Appiah, Baffuor Gyan, Asamoah Gyan, Charles Taylor, Kwadwo Poku, and Razak Pimpong.
The Black Meteors faced Paraguay at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium on 15th August 2004 where Stephen Appiah and former Kotoko striker William Tiero starred in Ghana’s comeback win over Paraguay.
Ghana’s XI: George OWU, Emmanuel OSEI, John MENSAH, Emmanuel PAPPOE, Daniel COLEMAN, Yussif CHIBSAH (C), Baffour GYAN (Kwadwo POKU), Stephen APPIAH (G), Asamoah GYAN, Razak PIMPONG, William TIERO (G).
Subs- Nasir LAMINE, Abubakar YAHUZA, Charles TAYLOR, Kwadwo POKU, Patrick VILLARS, John PANTSIL, Mohammed ALHASSAN.
Paraguay’s XI: Diego BARRETO, Julio MANZUR, Carlos GAMARRA (C) (G), Jose DEVACA, Celso ESQUIVEL, Aureliano TORRES, Edgar BARRETO, Diego FIGUEREDO, Julio Cesar ENCISO, Pablo GIMENEZ, Jose CARDOZO.
Subs- Rodrigo ROMERO, Emilio MARTINEZ, Fredy BAREIRO, Pedro BENITEZ, Julio GONZALEZ, Ernesto CRISTALDO, Osvaldo DIAZ.5