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[email protected] Date: 01/02/2001 No. 13 - 2001 European and African All-Stars to meet in Bari Living legends from the two continents to provide grand finale to Meridian Cup Friday 2 February is the last of the four matchdays in the Meridian Cup youth tournament in which Under-17 sides from Europe and Africa have been vying for the title in a new format similar to golf’s Ryder Cup. After three matchdays, Europe head Africa 26 points to 5. But, in order to bring down the curtain in great style, the event will close with an All-Star Match between Europe and Africa to be played in the Stadio San Nicola in Bari. The gala match is scheduled to kick-off at 20.30. It is the second such confrontation. The first was played in SL Benfica’s Estádio da Luz in Lisbon on 29 January 1997, when the ink was still drying on the newly-signed co-operation agreement between UEFA and CAF, known as the Meridian Project. The game was televised in 100 countries worldwide, including 30 in Africa, where the audience was around 60 million. The result was a 2-1 win for Africa. Abedi Pelé put the visitors ahead with a stunning goal early in the first half and, after Vincent Guérin had equalised for Europe just before half-time, it was the 1998 African Player of the Year, Mustapha Hadji, who struck Africa’s 78th-minute winner.