Hafia FC beat Flamme Olympique 3-1 on the final day to become champions of Guinea for the sixteenth time in their history. The first league title in 38 years. The title, which also puts an end to the undivided reign of Horoya AC, who have won the title for the last eight seasons, is the first league title since the club was bought by businessman Kerfalla Camara (KPC) in 2013.
Hafia FC crowned Guinean champions
It's been a tough time for Hafia FC. They had to wait until the final day of the championship to clinch the title. With 50 points, one more than rivals Horoya AC (49 points), Hafia FC are crowned Guinean champions. This is a first since the club was bought by businessman Kerfalla Camara (KPC) in 2013. This victory brings to an end Tri Campéo's 38-year title drought. The General Secretary is delighted with the club's return to the top flight. "It's a source of pride and inexplicable joy. After 38 years without winning the title, we've managed to beat the Indian sign. We're going down in history," says Marco Ibrahima Sory Bah. We are beginning to boost a generation of champions. We've been working on a project that started ten years ago. This is a long-distance race, not a speed race. It's a feeling of complete satisfaction, even if the real work starts now. This title is the crowning achievement of all the hard work we've put in over the last few years," he told Sport News Africa.
Casimir Jagiello the X factor
After a mixed start to the season (two defeats, a win and a draw) in the first four games, Guinean coach Pascal Baruxakus was sacked. By the end of the fourth matchday, rivals Horoya had built up a six-point lead over Hafia FC. To replace him, the club has opted for an internal solution. Casimir Jagiello, previously sporting director, took his place on the bench. From that point on, the club embarked on a meteoric rise, winning six and losing just one of the Polish coach's first seven games.
After a 1-0 away win over Horoya AC, the club finished the first phase with 25 points, putting them second in the table and 5 points behind leaders Horoya AC (29 points). The Jagiello method is beginning to bear fruit. The club's General Secretary speaks of a turning point. "At a certain point, Pascal Baruxakus was no longer the right man for the job. Casimir, who was sporting director, was appointed coach. With a different managerial approach, he knew how to use the players and that's when something clicked. Since then, good results have followed," explains Marco.
Moustapha Kouyaté decisive in the money time
Hafia FC had high hopes at the start of the season, after recruiting a huge number of players. But with a complicated start, the demons of recent seasons began to haunt the Tri Campéo. Moustapha Kouyaté, the club's star signing of the off-season, is nowhere to be seen. Plagued by administrative problems when he arrived, the former Raja Casablanca (D1-Morocco) striker was unable to play in the first few matches. Then injured, the former TP Mazembe (D1-Congo) player had an interesting second half of the season, being decisive in the money time, explains the general secretary of Hafia FC.
Moustapha Kouyaté is the star of the team," admits Marco, before continuing: "At first there was an administrative problem with Raja over his transfer. Then he got injured. Then, with 6 games to go, he came back. Just when we were beginning to have doubts, with his talent and experience, he started to pull the group up. And that's until we won the title we were so desperate to win. Laye Mamady Sanoh, who was named last year's best right-back at the end of the season, has benefited from the coach's confidence by producing clean sheets, including one against Horoya AC on the penultimate matchday. These recruits have lived up to expectations. It's the fruit of a lot of hard work," says a jubilant Marco.
Three years after their last appearance in the CAF Champions League, Hafia FC will be returning to the top competition. A Champions League that helped the club write its legend as the first club to achieve the treble on the continent (1972-1975-1977). With this return to the forefront of the national and continental stage, the club's ambitions have been revised upwards. It remains to be seen whether the club, with its glorious past, will be able to write a new page in its history on the continent, 46 years after its last title.
➖| 𝙃𝘼𝙁𝙄𝘼 𝙁𝘾 | - 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝘿𝙀 𝙂𝙐𝙄𝙉𝙀𝙀 2023.➖
🟩 Après 38 ans, nous soulevons ensemble le titre de CHAMPION DE GUINÉE de la 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙚1𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨 cette année...🟩 𝑼𝒏𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒖𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑳é𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆...🎉🧨🎉🎈🎉 pic.twitter.com/erMbzGIJSE
— Hafia FC (@hafia_fc) June 18, 2023
