U-20 AFCON: Black Satellites Warned Against Complacency as They Take on CAR Today

Cairo, Egypt - 08 May, 2025 - Ghana's U-20 national team, the Black Satellites, is on the cusp of a make-or-break moment in their Africa Cup of Nations campaign, as they lock horns with Central African Republic in a high-stakes Group C clash today, May 8, at the Suez Canal Stadium.

 Ahead of the game, head coach Desmond Ofei has warned his team against complacency, emphasizing the need for focus and composure against a determined CAR side.

“We need a good result to guarantee qualification. This is like a final for us, and we are treating it with the urgency it deserves."

Ofei praised CAR as a "very enterprising team" that has shown its attacking prowess by scoring in every group game so far. He stressed that his team cannot afford to take their opponents lightly and must deliver on their carefully crafted game plan.

“We can’t afford to be complacent against a hardworking side like CAR. They’ve shown they can hurt teams, so we must remain focused and composed,” 

The Black Satellites currently sit second in Group C with four points and will need at least a draw to stay in contention for a place in the knockout stages. Ofei expressed confidence in his team's preparation, stating that they have worked on a solid strategy for the match.

“Our team is prepared. We’ve worked on our plan, and now it’s about delivering on the pitch.”

The match is scheduled to kick off at 15:00 GMT at the Suez Canal Stadium, and the Black Satellites will be looking to secure a positive result to guarantee qualification.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC FACTS

• Lost their last match 3-1 to DRC, conceding three goals for the third time in TotalEnergies CAF U20 AFCON history.
• Have scored first in four matches at the finals but only won once – a 2-1 victory over Tunisia in 2021.
• Currently on a six-game winless streak (D2 L4) since that win over Tunisia.
• CAR have never lost a final group game. They beat Tunisia 2-1 in 2021 and drew 0-0 with Congo in 2023.
• Victory could see them reach the quarter-finals for the second time, after 2021.
• Conceded 10 shots on target vs DRC – their highest in a single TotalEnergies CAF U20 AFCON match.
• Goalkeeper Boarnages Malimoto made 7 saves against DRC, equalling the national record set by Mauril Abimala in 2023.
• Have faced 13 shots on target in two games so far in this tournament.
• Have kept just one clean sheet in nine TotalEnergies CAF U20 AFCON matches – a 0-0 draw vs Congo in 2023.

GHANA FACTS

• Unbeaten so far: drew 1-1 with DRC and defeated Senegal 1-0.
• All three goals in their matches have come in the first 25 minutes.
• Competing in their 13th TotalEnergies CAF U20 AFCON group stage; aiming to reach the knockouts for a 10th time. They’ve failed to progress only in 2003, 2011, and 2019.
• Record in final group games since 1991 reads played 12, won 4, drew 4, lost 4.
• Lost their last three final group matches, 1-0 to Mali in both 2015 and 2019, and 2-1 to Gambia in 2021. Their last win was 2-0 against Algeria in 2013.
• Had 50% possession in the win over Senegal and 57.8% in the draw with DRC.
• Managed only 3 shots on target vs Senegal while facing 8.
• Goalkeeper Gidios Aseako made 8 saves vs Senegal – the highest by any goalkeeper at the current TotalEnergies CAF U20 AFCON finals.
• Have scored two goals from 14 shots, giving them a conversion rate of 14.29%.
• Accumulated 7 yellow cards in two matches – the second-highest tally after Tanzania (8). Four cautions came in their win over Senegal.

Source: Lead News Online