Francois Omam Biyik, one of the stars of African football in the decade of the Nineties, scored three goals Sunday 9 January 2005 in his tribute game held in Mexico City where Omam Biyik made a name for himself playing with Club America. The game matched the 1994 Aguilas (Eagles) of America against a selection of Amigos de Biyik (Friends of Biyik) and featured such players as Mexican internationals Jorge Campos, Alberto Garcia Aspe, Carlos Hermosillo, Ricardo Pelaez, Luis Hernandez, Raul Rodrigo Lara and Cameroonians like Andre Kana Biyik, Jacques Songo’o, Cyrille Makanaky and Jean Claude Pagal (who played with Biyik on the 1994 America team).
Over 15,000 fans came to the Estadio Azteca, scene of the 1970 and 1986 World Cup Finals, to see Biyik’s 1994 Aguilas of America beat by a score of 4-3 the Friends of Biyik. In a festive atmosphere in the stadium, the 38 year old Biyik showed some of the talent that allowed him to play in the leagues of France, Mexico and Italy and for the Indomitable Lions, where he debuted in 1987, and participated in three World Cups: Italy 90, United States 94 and France 98.
America of 1994 jumped ahead 2-0 with a goal from Luis Peña (4′) and through a penalty kick converted by Biyik (44 ‘), but the friends of the Cameroonian came back through a goal scored by Chile’s Marco Antonio Figueroa (46 ‘). Biyik scored via another penalty in minute 49 to put the Aguilas ahead 3-1 but the game turned interesting when in a span of two minutes the recently retired Luis Hernandez, the all time leading goalscorer of Mexico’s national team, scored twice in the 73rd and 74th minutes.
But Francois Omam Biyik created his own drama when just before he was to leave the match, substituted by his eldest son Antoir, he scored his third goal of the day in the 79th minute with a rocket shot into the upper left corner after receiving a diagonal pass from Isaac Terrazas. After leaving the field Biyik saluted the fans, who always supported him while he played for America, with a T-shirt which read « Gracias Mexico » (Thanks Mexico)
After the game, Biyik said he did not have the words to be able to express the emotions he felt by the occasion. « I am very happy with my friends, we only missed a few who had duties with the teams they are currently coaching (editor’s note: one of those unfortunately missing was Biyik’s friend and attacking partner on the 1994 America team, the current national team coach of Zambia- Kalusha Bwalya, who had duties with his team which prevented him from appearing in this match). « In addition I am grateful for the participation of the fans, which also was important, today I am very happy. »
Somewhat nostalgic because it was the last opportunity that he would have to step on a football field, Biyik, who was accompanied by his wife and three children said he was pleasantly surprised by the great reception he received after all of these years by Club America’s fans and that his tribute game would be a memory that will always remain with him.
Biyik and his friend and former teammate from Club America, Juan Hernandez will now be coaching a team in Mexico’s 3rd Division. After the match Biyik said one of his dreams is to one day return to the Azteca Stadium as the coach of the Aguials of America.
AMÉRICA DE 1994: Adrián Chávez (Alejandro García, 47), Juan Hernández (Francisco Sánchez, 53), Enrique Rodón (José Luis Salgado, 52), Luis Felipe Peña (Jean Claude Pagal, 50), Edson Astivia, Guillermo Naranjo (Raúl Gutiérrez, 50), Isaac Terrazas, Raúl Rodrigo Lara, Joaquín del Olmo (Rafael Bautista, 59), Luis Roberto Alves (Pedro Pineda, 55) y Francois Omam Biyik (Antoir Biyik, 80). DT Alex Domínguez.
AMIGOS DE BIYIK: Jacques Songo’o (Hugo Pineda, 46), Obame, Aurelio Rivera (Alí Fernández, 60/Daniel Alberto Brailovsky, 80), Jorge Campos (Hugo Santana, 40), Fernando Martell (Salim Chartouni, 57), Porfirio Jiménez, Kana Biyik (Fernando Dávila, 22), Alberto García Aspe, Cyrille Makanaky (Martín Yamasaky, 28), Ricardo Peláez (Marco Antonio Figueroa, 46) y Carlos Hermosillo (Luis Arturo Hernández, 46). DT. Leonardo Cuéllar.
Martin Coutler, martin@camfoot.com
