With the bright lights of the New Suez Stadium ready to illuminate another chapter in Ghana’s rich youth football history, head coach Desmond Sakyi Ofei has shared a message of confidence, composure, and ambition as the Black Satellites gear up for their opening Group C fixture against DR Congo in the 2025 TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ofei, calm yet assertive during the pre-match press conference, expressed his appreciation to hosts Egypt for organizing the tournament under tight timelines. “We are happy to be here in Egypt,” he said. “It’s important that we get off to a good start.”

Ghana, a four-time U-20 AFCON champion and the 2021 titleholder, returns to the continental stage with the twin goals of reclaiming their dominance and securing qualification for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. But they face a stern early test in DR Congo — a team Ofei described as “strong, aggressive, and direct.”

Despite acknowledging the quality of the opposition, the Ghanaian tactician remained unfazed. “Every team in this tournament is strong. We have to show our identity and pedigree,” he asserted.

Coach Ofei emphasized not only tactical readiness but also the team’s mental approach. “The boys are ready. We want to showcase our talent, but we also need to neutralize DR Congo to get the right result,” he noted.

Ghana’s pedigree at the youth level — including their historic 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup triumph — remains a powerful source of motivation for the current squad. But Ofei is keeping the team grounded, insisting that they will take the tournament one game at a time. “We’re approaching this tournament game by game. We’re going to push for a positive result in the first game and then look forward to the next.”

As Ghana prepares to step onto the pitch this Friday, May 2, at 18:00 GMT, all eyes will be on Ofei and his talented young squad — a group looking to ignite their campaign with a statement performance and march confidently toward another shot at glory.