Ghana U20 coach Desmond Offei is confident on his mission to secure the 2024 WAFU B U20 Championship after the Black Satellites claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Côte d’Ivoire on Sunday.
This win not only earned the team a place in the final but also ensured qualification for the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Reflecting on the match, Ofei remarked, “Going into the game, it was a difficult match. We didn’t start great; Ivory Coast is a good team. They had a plan and made some changes that we didn’t expect, but in the end, we had to fight.”
He acknowledged the challenges faced throughout the tournament, stating, “Looking at all our games, it wasn’t easy. I think we gave away the goal too easily, but we came back very strong, and we deserve this win for sure.”
Ofei expressed his belief in the importance of the victory for the nation, saying, “The nation needs this victory, to be honest, and we are very happy because this will elevate what we are doing behind the scenes and take it to the next level for sure. We are bringing the Cup home, 100%.”
The match saw Loukou Jaures break the deadlock for Côte d’Ivoire just 18 minutes into play. However, Ghana responded with an equalizer from an own goal. Afriyie, who had already scored three goals in the tournament, then stepped up to convert a penalty awarded to the Satellites, securing the crucial victory.
