Ghana’s U-20 coach, Desmond Ofei, considers their quarterfinal match against Egypt in the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations a de facto final, emphasizing its importance.
Victory would secure the Black Satellites a place at the 2025 U-20 World Cup in Chile, a tournament absent from Ghana since 2015. Before the crucial tie, Ofei highlighted the game’s importance.
“This feels like a final for us. It’s a World Cup qualifier, and that means everything. We’re not just playing Egypt; we’re playing against history.” With a storied past in youth football, Ghana will take on an Egyptian side Ofei regards highly.
“Egypt is a strong, well-organized team with technically gifted players. We respect them but also trust in our own quality,” he added.
A high-stakes match for a World Cup spot and national pride will start at 6 PM local time (3 PM GMT) at New Suez Stadium.