Yeboah backs Ghana coach's tactics

Published on: 25 February 2010

Former Ghana striker Tony Yeboah says coach Milovan Rajevac must stick to his defensive game plan in Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations final against Egypt.

The Serbian coach has led Ghana to the final thanks to three successive 1-0 wins, against Burkina Faso, Angola and Nigeria.

In each game Ghana scored early and then played containing football in the second half.

"We have to gamble to score one goal and then defend," Yeboah said.

"We've have showed in the last few games we can defend our goal.

"The coach has done very well so far and I think we should stick to our normal game.

"The game against Egypt is going to be very tactical and very difficult.

An early Asamoah Gyan header put Ghana ahead against Nigeria in Thursday's semi-final and the Black Stars barely emerged from their own half after the goal.

The Rennes striker has scored three out of Ghana's four goals and Yeboah believes Gyan can continue to shoulder the goal-scoring burden as a lone front man.

"I am very happy for Gyan because at the moment he has confidence and when you have that you can do anything you want with the ball," Yeboah told BBC Sport.

"If Egypt score we do not want to play like Nigeria did against us - we must not get frustrated."

The defending champions Egypt in contrast have scored 14 goals in five games but Yeboah insists the Black Stars will not be intimidated by Egypt.

"When you see these young players you can see that they are ambitious and that they are ready, they are free and they have confidence," added the former Leeds United and Hamburg striker.

Ghana's young squad contains eight graduates from last year's under 20 world champions and they have surpassed expectations to reach their first Africa Cup of Nations final since 1992.

Ironically, the Senegal edition also marked the last time Ghana met Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations, where they met in the group stages.

"I will never forget it as I think I ran from the middle of the pitch to score," said Yeboah, who scored 29 times for Ghana in 59 appearances between 1985 and 1997.

"We won 1-0 and who knows, maybe the same score will be repeated on Sunday."

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