Head coach of Ghana’s U-20 team, Desmond Ofei, has expressed optimism about his squad’s chances at the upcoming AFCON U-20 tournament.
Following a strong performance at the 2023 African Games, where his team emerged victorious, and a runner-up finish in the WAFU Zone B qualifiers, Ofei believes his side is well-positioned to make an impact on the continental stage.
“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,” Ofei stated on the Sports Pack.
However, he acknowledged the challenge of being placed in a five-team group, requiring an extra game compared to other teams.
“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. 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 anticipates a highly competitive AFCON U-20 tournament, highlighting the increasing trend of teams integrating foreign-based players.
“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 Belgian 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.”
Ghana’s early start to training camp, facilitated by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has been a crucial step in ensuring the team’s readiness.
“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 for the local players. We will try to give them the opportunity first and then add foreign-based players in positions where we feel reinforcement is needed,” he concluded.
As the tournament approaches, Ghana’s U-20 team is aiming to build on their recent successes and secure a spot at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
