Ghana’s Black Satellites receives morale booster for 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup
Ghana’s youth football team, the Black Satellites, have received a psychological boost to overcome their challenges at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup currently taking place in Turkey.
The 38th edition of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana Awards crowned several athletes and other illustrious personalities of the Ghanaian sporting arena on June 29, 2013. One particular announcement, however, received huge applauds from guests at the event and it was to do with the qualification of the Ghana U-20 national football team to the Last 16 of the ongoing 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
After losing to France and Spain in their first two group games, the Ghanaians had been under pressure to record a huge victory against the United States. A 4-1 triumph helped the Ghana coach; Sellas Tetteh and his young men achieve that by hitting three points with a nil goal difference. Sellas Tetteh led the Ghana U20 team to victory in the 2009 finals of this event in Egypt, making Ghana the only African country to lift this FIFA trophy. Below are the remaining fixtures of the tournament.
 |
| Photo: FIFA.com |
The destiny of the Black Satellites became a matter of complicated mathematics. This all came down to the result between Egypt and England and the perfect score line fell on last Saturday evening as the Egyptians stunned the English 2-0 – thus sending Ghana to the next stage as one of the four best third-placed teams.
Commenting on the feat of the Satellites was Ghana’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, who said “We are happy that the Satellites have won. We believe that as they have won, they will go all the way to the end,” the minister declared as he urged the Ghanaians to go for gold.
His declarations then took a higher tone, as the Sports’ Minister continued to say that all former Presidents, the current President of Ghana and indeed the entire nation is behind the young team, finishing off by saying “Let us know that in whatever we do, we want to raise the bar for Ghana.”
Ghana stunned Portugal 3-2 on Wednesday, July 3 despite pundits calling the Iberian contenders the strongest team at the on going 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup with Bruma and Aladje leading the Portuguese attack.
Ghana, now one of the teams to watch plays Chile on July 7 in a quarter final clash for a chance to advance to the semi-finals of the event. Another quarter final game on that day will see hard fighters Iraq play the Korea Republic.
Source: Oral Ofori / Angela Asante
