Ghana's place at the finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup has been achieved as a result of team effort and self-belief by all associated with the squad.
The Black Satellites carried on such qualities and succeeded in lifting the Africa title earlier this year. On Friday, the reigning African Champions can secure a double when they play Brazil in the finals of the U-20 World Cup in Egypt.
Ghana's rise has always not been down to the quality goal scoring abilities of its up-field players but the equal combination of pacy runs by the full-backs who have exhibited good technique.
On the road to the finals, the importance of Ghana's full-backs came into play once again when by the 31st minute of the semi-final against Hungary, Samuel Inkoom and David Addy had provided the assists for the competition's top scorer Dominic Adiyiah to send his goal tally to eight as he scored from their passes.
As the statistics read, six of Ghana's 16 goals at the competition have come from the team's full-backs. Three of those have come from the right, with Inkoom sparking efforts against England, Korea Republic and the Magyars. The other three have come from the left, where David Addy has helped undo Uzbekistan, South Africa and the Taeguk Warriors.
For the full-back duo, getting forward and providing assists is another dimension to the team's style and they enjoy their contributions. "It's always a huge pleasure to make an assist," the Inkoom told FIFA.com. "The coach [Sellas Tetteh] often asks us to get forward and outnumber opponents," explained Addy.
"That doesn't automatically mean we're weaker at the back. We're also capable of defending." Indeed, both players seem at pains to counter criticisms that the Black Satellites have been too porous in defence, shipping eight goals in their six outings.
"It's true that my style is very attacking," added Inkoom. "But when I get forward, I always make sure that my flank is covered. And as soon as possession is lost, I run back at full speed."
For both players, they very much enjoy their roles and also have plenty of admiration for the man Sellas Tetteh - who has fashioned out their way of attacking for the Black Satellites.
"We have to win this competition, if only for the coach," said Addy. "He's very close to us and we have a lot of fun together. But when it's time to work, he doesn't joke around anymore." Inkoom admits that he is tracing his own progress through the eyes of his parents.
"My father is a teacher and, at the start, he didn't want me to be a footballer," explained the player often compared to C�te d'Ivoire international Emmanuel Eboue. "It's my mother who encouraged me to keep at it. Now they're both honoured to see their surname on the team-sheets of a World Cup match, and they were the first ones to send me an SMS after the semi-final. They said they were very proud and that I'd been the best player in the game. They're parents, so they're not always objective (laughs)."
Ghana, will be going into their third finals of the U-20 World Cup competition though they have lost both previous events. But Addy does not doubt the Black Satellites' ability to win it for the first time though the records seem to be against Ghana. No a team from Africa has ever won the competition.
"Ever since the qualifiers in Rwanda, we've known that we've got what it takes to lift the trophy," he said. "Now that victory is within our reach, we won't let our chance slip away." Despite past record, Inkoom remains confident of their chances.
"Of course we're aware of those figures, but we came here to write history and to return home with the trophy," he said. "So that's what we're going to do."
Source: ghanafa
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