Ghana’s U-20 side, the Black Satellites, moved a step further to securing qualification for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) tournament with a 1-1 draw against host nation Togo in the ongoing WAFU U-20 Zone B championship.
The WAFU Zone B Championship, which serves as the qualifying route for West African sides to the U-20 AFCON, sees eight teams, categorized into two groups, battle it out for a place in the knockout rounds.
The finalist, regardless of the outcome of the game, automatically join the other qualified teams from the various zones in the U-20 AFCON, which in itself serves as the qualifier for the U-20 World Cup.
Black Satellites forward Jerry Afriyie’s well-taken strike, his third of the tournament, set Ghana on their way to victory inside the opening two minutes against Togo. Ghana managed to thwart all attempts by the hosts to get back into the game with a well-organized defensive display, ending the first half with their solitary advantage.
However, after the recess, Togo hit back to draw the game at 1-1, setting up a gut-wrenching second half. The Black Satellites managed to hold on to secure a vital point against Togo, one which sent the team to the top of group A with five points, after a win and two draws.
The Black Satellites await their fate as their opponents in the semi-final will be revealed after the climax of the games in group B, where Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso are all vying to secure a place in the last four.
A win in the next round will mean Ghana will qualify for the AFCON for the first time since 2021, as they hope to use that as a building block to qualify for their first-ever U-20 World Cup since the 2015 tournament.
