Ghana head coach Maxwell Konadu says the Black Satellites will return stronger after their early exit from the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship.
Ghana were held to a goalless draw by Togo in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire, on Sunday and finished third in Group B. The result ended their hopes of progressing, despite a strong performance in which they controlled large periods of the match.
The Black Satellites believed they had taken the lead, but their goal was disallowed by the referee.
Konadu admitted the result was disappointing but said the tournament had provided valuable lessons ahead of next year’s TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which Ghana will host.
“The team came here to compete and to win. Having said that, we also know there were one or two things that didn’t go according to plan. In football, you don’t always get everything 100 percent.”
The former Ghana international felt his side had done enough to take more from the contest against Togo.
“Today’s game was difficult because Togo also wanted to win. It was keenly contested, but I think we were slightly ahead of our opponents. We scored a good goal but the referee disallowed it. I don’t know why but we accept that because it is part of football.”
Despite failing to reach the next stage, Konadu said the setback would not damage Ghana’s longer-term plans.
“This is not going to demotivate us. Rather, it will encourage us to give our best. We have to move on, reorganise ourselves and come back stronger.”
The Black Satellites are one of Africa’s most successful youth national teams, and Konadu recognised the pressure that comes with representing Ghana at this level.
“This team has enjoyed so much success over the years, so any tournament without the trophy is never acceptable to Ghanaians. That is not what we came here for. The Black Satellites have set very high standards over the years, and that is where we want to take the team back to.”
Konadu also confirmed that the group involved in Cote d’Ivoire is unlikely to be the squad selected for the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
“We came here to win, but it didn’t work out. We will reorganise ourselves. Definitely, we will not present the same team for the AFCON next year.”
The coach said Ghana had deliberately retained a largely home-based group for the WAFU B tournament to assess the players available for future international assignments.
“For this tournament, we maintained the home-based boys because we wanted to see what they could offer. Some of them have shown that, given the opportunity, they can really excel.”
Although pleased with the players’ commitment, Konadu said the team still had areas to address.
“We are happy with the team, but not entirely satisfied with the overall performance. Before this tournament, we talked about the lack of international matches, but we still believed in the boys and encouraged them to give their best. For me, they gave everything.”
The tournament also helped the technical staff distinguish which players could progress to the next level, while underlining the importance of preparation and competitive experience.
“It is good that we have seen what they can do. Some couldn’t make the mark, while others showed they have what it takes. Now we have to prepare very well because without proper preparation you cannot win tournaments. We had enough time to train, but I think exposure made the difference.”
Konadu said the outcome was another reminder that football does not always follow expectations, pointing to Nigeria’s campaign as an example.
“When Nigeria started the tournament, everybody expected them to top the group. But football is unpredictable. You can never be completely sure how things will turn out.”
Ghana have already secured automatic qualification for the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations as hosts. Although the Black Satellites could not advance beyond the group stage in Cote d’Ivoire, the competition has given the technical team an opportunity to assess players, improve team cohesion and begin building towards next year’s home tournament.
