Black Satellites: A new core has replaced African Games-winning squad – Desmond Ofei

Ghana’s U20 national team coach, Desmond Ofei, has revealed that he has developed a new core of players to replace the squad that clinched gold at the 2023 African Games.

Ofei made these comments after guiding his revamped team to a commendable second place finish in the 2024 WAFU B U20 Championship in Togo, securing their spot in the upcoming 2024 U20 Africa Cup of Nations.

In a striking transition, only seven members of the African Games-winning squad participated in the recent tournament, where the Black Satellites fell 2-1 to Nigeria on Wednesday night in Lomé.

This shift comes as ten players have successfully moved abroad to further their careers, including notable talents Abdul Aziz Issah and Abdul Hakim Sulemana.

“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.”

While a date for the 2025 U20 AFCON has yet to be announced, Ofei is committed to continuing the training camp for his players in preparation for the competition, which will also serve as a qualifier for the U20 World Cup.