Yeboah Ankrah 'very excited' following Serie A debut

Ghanian teenager, Philip Yeboah Ankrah, has expressed his excitement after making his debut in the Italian top-flight over the weekend.

Ankrah, 18, made his first appearance in Hellas Verona's 1-1 stalemate against Fiorentina last Saturday.

Having made the bench for the first time, Ankrah was thrown into the fray 78th minute, replacing midfielder Mattia Zaccagni.

It was his professional debut and he could not hide his excitement in the post-match interview.

"I'm very excited for my debut. For the first time, I finally made the bench of the first team. I was really anxious," Yeboah Ankrah told Arthur Legacy media.

"I didn't expect the coach to let me play the game but I hoped until the end.

"I think I did a good performance, I believe I can always do better.

"The coach told me that for being the first time on the football field, I made a good performance. Going forward, I expect to always give my best!"

At 10, Yeboah left Ghana for Italy, where he started his football career. He was discovered by a scout of the Yellow and Blues and joined the club's youth ranks, developing through the system until last season, when he was promoted to the first team.

"We’ve been discussing and looking forward to a debut. But to be Frank, this came in a bit early and it was a surprise. To us it is the door to the career Yeboah has been dreaming of," Agent Oliver Arthur said.

"More respect to the coach. It tells me he has his tactics or plan and doesn't rely on only experienced players. I would say that is a good coach.

"Yeboah is a strong, fast and a clinical finisher. If he continues with the same focus and determination, he would be a top-level striker in Serie A."

The striker could be drafted into the Ghana U20 team ahead of the 2021 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania. The team recently won the Wafu B Cup of Nations in Benin.