Ghana’s U20 head coach, Desmond Ofei, has underlined the need for thorough preparation as the Black Satellites gear up for the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Drawn into Group A, Ghana will face hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, DR Congo, and a yet-to-be-determined team from the UNIFFAC Zonal Union. Ofei acknowledged the tough competition ahead and emphasized the importance of being fully prepared.
“It’s going to be very, very difficult because you have the likes of Nigeria, obviously Burkina, Senegal is very, very strong as well. Egypt has a very strong team,” he said after a friendly match against Hearts of Oak on Wednesday.
“South Africa is looking dangerous. They have one of the best strikers in the world in that age category playing at Club Brugge right now. So we are doing a lot of homework, but I think the most important thing is just looking at ourselves and making sure that we are ready.
“I feel like we have to set the pace this time around, and I think this is the red line in the preparation and also in the selection that we made.”
The 2025 U20 AFCON, set to take place from April 26 to May 18, will feature 13 nations. Group B consists of Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco, while defending champions Senegal lead Group C alongside Zambia, Kenya, and Sierra Leone.
The tournament will also serve as a qualifier for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
