WAFU Championship: Coach Offei targets U-20 AFCON qualification

Black Satellites coach, Desmond Offei, says their main target for playing in the West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Zone B championship is to qualify for the upcoming under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Last Wednesday, the team picked a ticket to the semi finals of the ongoing tournament after they drew 1-1 with the host nation, Togo.

Speaking during the post-match interview the Ghana gaffer expressed satisfaction with the performance exhibited by his players but emphasised that their main target was to make the roll call at the continental youth football gathering.

"Our main focus is to qualify for the under-20 AFCON and we take it from there'', he said. 

Past records

The Black Satellites are considered among the heavyweights of Africa football, having won the continental tournament four times (1995, 1999, 2009, 2021) and the under-20 World Cup in 2009 as well as finished twice as runners up in  1993 and 2001.

Coach Offei, while expressing delight in making it to the semi finals, promised to turn their attention to that game to ensure they achieve their target.

He congratulated Togo for putting up a brave fight and described them as a good side, insisting that the Black Satellites did not have an easy game with the Togolese but was happy the result had sent them through to the semis.

“We are very happy. I think the first hurdle in every tournament is the qualification to the semis, and now all focus is on the semis. We want to congratulate Togo, they fought really hard for this. It wasnt easy at all but our boys did well and we are very happy we are in the semis,” he stated.

Different approach

Comparing all the teams the Black Satellites have played against so far, the coach said all teams came into the game with a different tactical approach and it will be difficult, pointing out which of them was the toughest, however, he said he met a very tough opponent in Togo who gave them a tough game but emphasised that securing a spot in the semis was more important.

“It's hard to compare because these are three different nations with different styles but today's game was really tough. Togo is really good, tactically it was really tough but in the end we managed to get the qualification so we are happy,” the Black Satellites coach said.

The Black Satellites finished at the summit of the log with five points followed by Niger with who had four points and Togo and Benin who had three and two points respectively.