Black Satellites head coach Maxwell Konadu has revealed how an early red card forced Ghana to completely change its tactical approach during the team’s 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso at the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship.
Defender Kofi Junior Kumah was sent off in the early stages of the Group B match, leaving Ghana with ten men and compelling the technical team to abandon its original game plan.
Konadu disclosed that the Black Satellites switched from their preferred 4-3-3 formation to a 3-5-1 system in an effort to remain competitive despite the numerical disadvantage.
“We needed to change the system, and that’s exactly what we did. We switched from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-1, and that created a lot of scoring opportunities for us,” he explained.
The coach also revealed that the team’s attacking strategy had been designed to make use of the pace and creativity of players on the wings before the sending-off disrupted those plans.
“The game plan was to use Kelvin to exploit the wide areas, with Latif and Amakye coming on to finish things off. The red card disrupted those plans, but we never gave up. When they came on, they created chances. The ball just refused to go into the net,” he said.
Konadu further highlighted the positive impact of changes to his starting line-up, particularly in midfield, where a central defender was deployed in a holding role and impressed with his performance.
Looking ahead, the coach indicated that more players could be given opportunities in Ghana’s final group match against Togo as part of preparations for the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which Ghana will host.
He, however, stressed that the immediate objective remains securing victory in the team’s final match.
“We have to win at least one game before we leave here,” Konadu said, expressing confidence that the experience gained in the tournament will help shape a stronger squad for next year’s continental championship.
