Ghana’s U-20 side, the Black Satellites, kicked off their 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against DR Congo on Friday evening at the Suez Stadium in Egypt.

Despite a shaky start, it was Ghana’s Abdul Sulemana who emerged as the standout performer of the match, earning the Man of the Match award for his relentless energy and driving runs from midfield. Though some of his decisions in the final third could have been sharper, Sulemana was instrumental in Ghana’s response after going behind.

DR Congo took the lead in the 16th minute through Samuel Ntanda, capitalizing on a lapse in Ghana’s defence. However, the Black Satellites showed great character and responded just eight minutes later. Emmanuel Mensah threaded a precise pass to Aziz Musibau, who made no mistake in front of goal to level the score at 1-1.

Both teams created opportunities in the second half, but wasteful finishing at both ends meant the spoils were shared in this tense Group C opener. Ghana posed a threat on the counter-attack, while DR Congo’s frontline failed to convert their promising build-up play.

Next up, Ghana face a tough challenge against Senegal, while DR Congo will aim for their first win when they meet the Central African Republic.