Black Satellites coach Desmond Ofei praises team after securing semi-final spot

Black Satellites Coach Desmond Ofei Praises Team After Securing Semi-Final Spot, Shifts Focus to U-20 AFCON Qualification

Desmond Ofei, head coach of the Black Satellites, expressed his pride in his team after they secured a place in the semi-finals of the WAFU B U-20 Championship, and emphasized that their next goal is to qualify for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Ghana advanced to the last four following a 1-1 draw against Togo in their final Group A match on Wednesday evening at the Stade Municipal.

Jerry Afriyie gave Ghana the lead, scoring his third goal of the tournament after connecting with a pass from Misbau Aziz.

However, the home side equalized through Ouzeroudine Kperedja, forcing a share of the points.

In his post-match comments, Coach Ofei praised Togo for their efforts and highlighted the challenging nature of the game.

He expressed satisfaction with his team's progress, but stressed that the focus has now shifted to securing a spot in the next U-20 AFCON.

“We are very happy. I think the first target in every tournament is to reach the semis, and we made it, so now all focus is on the semi-finals,” Ofei stated.

He added, “I want to congratulate Togo. They fought really hard for this. Our boys also did very well, and we are happy to be in the semis.

Today’s game was really tough. Togo is a good team, and tactically it was a hard battle, but in the end, we got the qualification, so we are happy.”

Ghana will soon discover their semi-final opponents as Group B concludes its fixtures today.