"I'm really satisfied with their performance," said Osam-Duodu.

"I am proud of my team, it is a youthful side and I say they have done well."

They performed solidly defensively throughout, despite the loss of star centre-back Sammy Kuffour.

Osam-Duodu, a man who has twice taken over as caretaker-coach in the last two years, refused to say whether he would remain in charge.

"We are going to maintain this team - there will be changes, new faces and old faces and perhaps I will not be the man to handle this throughout," he said.

"I only took over because there was no coach," he added.

Well nurtured

Ghana's last Nations Cup title was in 1982 - when Osam-Duodu was also in charge - but they have not reached the semi-finals since 1996.

That is precisely what they must do, however, if they are to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, something no Ghana team has managed before.

But Ghana Football Association president Ben Koufie believes that the tournament has helped blood the players who will take Ghana to the peak of world football.

"This is definitely our team, we used 2002 as our platform," revealed Koufie.

"A lot of these boys have proved that they are ready, that they are good material."

"If we follow a programme, if we do the right thing with the aim of building for tomorrow we will definitely succeed," Koufie added.

"We need continuity, we have spotted the boys. They are good products, we have to make sure they are well nurtured."