Black Satellites head coach Desmond Ofei (37) has expressed confidence in his team’s chances after the draw for the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) placed Ghana in Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast.
Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and another team from the UNIFFAC Zonal Union will join Ghana and Ivory Coast to complete Group A.
The identity of the second UNIFFAC Zonal Union team remains uncertain due to Congo’s FIFA suspension.
Following the draw in Cairo, Ofei shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Flashscore, acknowledging that being in the only five-team group could present challenges, but affirming his team’s ability to succeed.
“I think we are in a very good position, and I feel like if we prepare really well, we have everything in our own hands to go as far as possible. I’m really okay with the draw. The only unfortunate thing for me is that we are in a group of five, so I think you have to play an extra game, which was an issue in the WAFU qualifications, where we had to play one more game than Nigeria, and we felt it in the final.
“But in this case, we are in a good position. We just have to make sure we manage the whole situation well and have a really strong bench so that when we rotate with these kinds of games, then we can have the upper hand. We can’t wait for the tournament to start, because we only have one target, which is a qualification to the World Cup,” he added.
Ofei has already tasted success with the U20 team, leading them to victory at the 2023 African Games and a runner-up finish at the WAFU Zone B qualifiers. Now, the coach is eager to take on the challenges that lie ahead.
“I think this is going to be one of the most challenging and most difficult AFCONs ever. I feel like most of the teams nowadays are looking out to bring a lot of foreign players. If you’re looking at Congo, I know that a lot of Belgium players are playing in that team. Morocco as well, 99% of the players are foreign players. I think we have to do our homework. We have to prepare really well.”
With the tournament just over two months away, the Black Satellites have intensified their preparations, and Ofei has expressed his gratitude to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for their support.
“Thanks to the GFA we started camp quite early so we feel like we’re in a good position. We have enough time to prepare, especially from the local players. We will try to give them the opportunity first, and try to add to positions that we feel like we need from the foreign-based players.”
Ghana secured their place in the U20 AFCON by reaching the final of the WAFU Zone B qualifiers in Togo last year, despite the loss to Nigeria. This marks the Black Satellites’ return to the continental stage for the first time since their triumph in 2021.
The 2025 U20 AFCON is scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast from April 26th to May 16th, 2025, and will also serve as a qualifying tournament for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile from September 27th to October 19th, 2025.
