Ghana’s U-20 side, the Black Satellites, will face Ivory Coat in the semi-final of the ongoing WAFU Zone B Championship as both teams vie for a place at the upcoming U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
After losing 2-1 to Nigeria’s flying Eagles on Thursday, Ivory Coast finished in second position in Group B, a result which means the Young Elephants draw Ghana in the semi-final.
Ghana’s finish at the summit of Group A, after accumulating five points, meant the Satellites’ opponent for the semi-final was going to be the second-placed team from Group B; in this case, Ivory Coast.
A win separates coach Desmond Ofei and his young lads from securing an automatic qualification spot to the U-20 AFCON; a tournament which Ghana last won in 2021.
However, to achieve this mark, Ghana will need to be a part of the two finalists at the ongoing WAFU Zone B Championship to automatically qualify as one of two representatives of the zone. The AFCON would also serve as the qualifier to Chile’s 2025 U-20 World Cup; a tournament Ghana has failed to participate in since 2015.
Meanwhile, Nigeria and Niger will also lock horns in the other semi-final clash as both sides are bent on securing the all-important spot.
Ghana plays Ivory Coast on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at the Stade de Kegue in Togo.
