Assistant coach of Ghana’s U-20 men’s team, Fatawu Salifu, has acknowledged the challenge ahead as the Black Satellites prepare for a tricky group campaign in the 2025 WAFU Zone B U-20 Cup of Nations.
The draw for the regional competition, which will take place from July 10 to 23, has placed Ghana in Group A alongside regional powerhouses Nigeria and Benin.
Reacting to the draw in an interview with the Ghana Football Association’s media team, Salifu described the group as typically competitive and one that demands full focus and preparation.
“We have been waiting very keenly to see which country we will face in the group stage, and just today, we got information that the draw was done, and we got Nigeria and Benin in our group,” he said.
“Which I think is a typical WAFU group, where we believe that when Ghana and Nigeria are in the group, normally we expect to see a very tough competition in the group.”
With only two teams advancing from the group, the stakes are high. Salifu, a former coach of Heart of Lions, emphasized the need to approach the campaign with determination.
“So, Ghana, Benin and Nigeria, I think it’s a very good group, and of course, all we have to do is to beat these two countries and qualify.”
Following their last outing at the U-20 AFCON in Egypt, where Ghana suffered an early exit, the Black Satellites are aiming to bounce back and reestablish their dominance in youth football.
“After exiting Egypt, we got back, and we have to come to camp and prepare. We have a tournament at hand where we believe it’s time to redeem our image,” Salifu added.
Ghana’s U-20 side last won the WAFU Zone B title in 2020, and expectations remain high as they prepare for the 2025 edition
