Ghana U20 head coach Desmond Ofei has highlighted the need for extensive preparation ahead of the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON), emphasizing the tournament’s competitive nature.
The Black Satellites have been placed in Group A, where they will face hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, DR Congo, and a yet-to-be-determined team from the UNIFFAC Zonal Union.
Discussing the challenges ahead, Ofei acknowledged the strength of the competition and the importance of detailed planning.
“It's going to be very, very difficult because you have the likes of Nigeria, obviously Burkina Faso, and Senegal, who are very strong as well. Egypt has a very solid team,” Ofei 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 run from April 26 to May 18, will feature 13 teams. Group B includes 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.
