Former Ghana U-20 midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has called on the Black Satellites to focus on winning the upcoming U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following their runner-up finish at the WAFU B U-20 Championship.
Ghana secured their spot in the U-20 AFCON by defeating Ivory Coast 2-1 in the WAFU B semi-final. Meanwhile, Nigeria also advanced after a 3-1 victory over Niger.
However, Nigeria emerged as champions of the WAFU B tournament by beating Ghana 2-1 in the final held at Stade Kegue in Togo.
Despite the disappointment of finishing second, Agyemang-Badu, who was part of Ghana’s victorious 2009 U-20 World Cup team, encouraged the Black Satellites to focus on developing a sustainable team capable of competing for major honors in the long term.
“We wanted to win the WAFU cup, but reaching the finals isn’t bad, as we’ve qualified for the AFCON. Let’s continue supporting Ghana in building a team that can win the AFCON,” he stated.
He added, “I wanted them to set the records we achieved during our time when we won the WAFU, AFCON, and World Cup. Although they lost the WAFU, all is not lost. We will prepare well for the AFCON to ensure we qualify for the World Cup.”
Ghana aims to secure their first U-20 AFCON title since 2021 when the tournament takes place in 2025.
