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Soccer News of Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Source: GNA

Ghana would qualify to next round of World Cup - Tony Yeboah

Kumasi, May 19, GNA - Tony Yeboah, a former prolific striker of the senior national team, the Black Stars has said that the team has the potential of making Ghana and Africa proud at the prestigious FIFA World Cup football tournament in South Africa.

He said he has no doubt about the capabilities of the Stars going beyond the one-sixteenth stage of the tournament as it reached at its maiden appearance in the Germany 2006, four years ago. Speaking to the GNA Sports in Kumasi, the former Stars' player therefore encouraged the playing body to be self-confident and go all out for victory in their matches.

Ghana is in "Group D" alongside Serbia, Australia and Germany. Yeboah also tipped Germany to qualify alongside Ghana at the preliminary stage in their Group and said he based his conviction on the experience and good tactical discipline of the three times World Champions.

He lauded the current crop of players of the Black Stars for their determination, resilience and discipline, which he said had seen the team twice qualify for the competition.

The former player said he was hopeful that the team's spirit would not be dampened by the injuries of some of the senior players because there were equally good replacements.

Yeboah cautioned the Stars against complacency and said they should not underrate any of their opponents. The celebrated striker said this year's championship offers Africa a good opportunity to prove to the world that its football had come of age.

"It was therefore important that countries representing Africa purged themselves of any inferiority complex and remain focused to bring honour to African football".

Yeboah played for the senior national team for 10 years and represented Ghana at three African Nation's Cup competitions in the 1990s.

He scored a total of 29 goals in 59 appearances and is the second highest goal scorer of all time, coming only behind the legendary Abedi Pele. Yeboah was also the top scorer in the Bundesliga, Germany's elite league, on two occasions in 1993 and 1994 whilst playing for Eintracht Frankfurt. 19 May 10