Ghana U20 head coach Desmond Ofei has stated that losing nine players from the team that won gold at the 2023 African Games is a big blow before the 2024 WAFU B U20 Championship in Togo.
Only seven players from the African Games squad in March were part of the Black Satellites team that finished second in the recently concluded WAFU B qualifiers for the 2025 U20 AFCON.
Ten members of the African Games-winning squad have secured moves abroad.
Despite these challenges, Ghana finished second after losing the final to Nigeria on Wednesday, securing a spot in the 2025 U20 AFCON by reaching the final.
“Losing nine key players who were crucial to our success at the African Games was a significant blow,” Ofei told ghanafa.org after the tournament.
“But this allowed us to build a new core of young talent, and these boys have stepped up tremendously. They deserve this qualification just as much as anyone else.”
A date for the 2025 U20 AFCON has not yet been set, but Desmond Ofei will be looking to continue training his players in preparation for the competition, as it will serve as a qualifier for the U20 World Cup.
