THE Black Satellites head coach, Desmond Ofei, is brimming with confidence despite his team being in a challenging group for this year’s U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with Ghana pooled with hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and a yet to  be determined team from the UNIFFAC Zonal Union.

However, the identity of the final Group A opponent remains uncertain due to Congo’s ongoing FIFA suspension.

Coach Ofei acknowledged the challenges of playing in the tournament’s only five-team group but remains optimistic about his squad’s chances. “I think we are in a very good position, and if we prepare well, everything is in our hands to go as far as possible. 

I’m really okay with the draw,” he told Flashscore, as he outlined his strategy for navigating the competition.

“The only unfortunate thing is that we’re in a group of five, which means an extra game. We faced a similar situation in the WAFU qualifiers, where we had to play more matches than Nigeria, and we felt it in the final.”

Despite the challenge of playing four group matches, the 37-year-old tactician, who leads the Satellites to another major tournament after guiding the team to win gold at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, is confident his squad has what it takes to manage the situation.

“We just have to ensure we handle the workload smartly and have a strong bench. Rotating the squad well will give us the upper hand. We can’t wait for the tournament to start because our only target is World Cup qualification.”Proven winner

Coach Ofei has already tasted success with Ghana’s U-20 side at the 13th African Games and secured a runner-up finish in the WAFU Zone B qualifiers.

Now, he is eager to build on that momentum and embrace the stern tests that lie ahead.

“I think this will be one of the most challenging and competitive U20 AFCON ever. Many teams are now bringing in a lot of foreign-based players,” he noted.

“For instance, Congo has several Belgium-based players, while Morocco’s squad is almost entirely made up of foreign-born talents. We have to do our homework and prepare thoroughly.”

With just over two months until the tournament kicks off, the Black Satellites are ramping up preparations. Ofei expressed gratitude to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for its support in ensuring the team is well-prepared.

“Thanks to the GFA, we started camp early, which puts us in a good position. We have ample time to assess local players and integrate key foreign-based talents in positions where we need reinforcements.”

Road to AFCON

Ghana booked their place in the 2025 U20 AFCON after reaching the final of the WAFU Zone B qualifiers in Togo last year, despite falling to Nigeria in the final. Their qualification marks a return to the continental stage for the first time since their triumphant 2021 campaign.

The U-20 AFCON will run from April 26 to May 16 in Cote d’Ivoire and serves as a pathway to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, scheduled for September 27 to October 19.