The U-20 national team of Ghana, known as the Black Satellites, secured the first position in Group C of the current U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) by achieving a narrow 1-0 victory against the Central African Republic in their final group match.
Joseph Amankwaah Opoku, who came off the bench, made a significant impact by scoring the crucial goal in the 84th minute, ensuring a hard-earned victory for Ghana. This result maintained Ghana’s unbeaten streak in the tournament and underscored their superiority in the group.
The Satellites approached this match following a 1-1 draw with DR Congo and a 1-0 win over Senegal. In contrast, the Central African Republic managed to earn a point against Senegal but suffered a loss in their second match against DR Congo.
Although Ghana created several scoring opportunities, they faced challenges in converting them, with Abdul Aziz Issah notably missing several chances.
Nevertheless, their strong defensive performance allowed them to maintain their narrow lead until the end of the match. With this victory, Ghana concluded the group stage with seven points, securing a place in the quarter-finals where they will compete against one of the third-placed teams from Groups A or B.
Additionally, Abdul Aziz Issah received the Man of the Match award. With aspirations for a semi-final berth, Desmond Ofei’s team is just one victory away from qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Chile later this year.
