The Black Satellites have turned their attention to their next challenge at the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship after suffering a 4-2 defeat to defending champions Nigeria in their opening Group B match in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
Despite the disappointing result, head coach Maxwell Konadu remains optimistic that his side can recover and keep their hopes of progressing in the tournament alive.
Ghana showed flashes of quality during the thrilling encounter at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium but defensive mistakes proved costly, allowing the Flying Eagles to take advantage and secure all three points in the highly anticipated West African derby.
Speaking after the match, Konadu admitted that his team failed to defend effectively and acknowledged that Nigeria deserved their victory.
“It was quite a difficult game. We planned to start with a high press to see how our opponents would react. In the process, we gave away some cheap goals that could have been avoided,” he said.
The former Ghana international praised the defending champions for making the most of Ghana’s errors but insisted the focus must now shift to improving ahead of the remaining group matches.
“We can’t take anything away from our colleagues. They played better than us and deserved the win. The important thing now is to bounce back and try to win the games ahead of us,” Konadu added.
The coach explained that his technical team had expected Nigeria to rely on their physical strength and organisation, but Ghana’s defensive lapses made the task much more difficult.
According to him, fixing the team’s defensive weaknesses has become the immediate priority before Thursday’s crucial Group B clash against Burkina Faso.
He also admitted that some players lost concentration during the game but reminded supporters that the Black Satellites are a youthful side still learning at the international level.
“The players have been told to always be aware of their surroundings before making tackles. They are young players, and these experiences will help them improve. We will work on our mistakes and come back stronger,” he said.
The Black Satellites will now prepare for a must-win encounter against Burkina Faso before rounding off their Group B campaign against Togo. Victory in the remaining matches could still secure Ghana a place in the next stage, and Konadu is confident his players have the quality and determination to respond positively.
