Ghana’s U20 national team produced a resilient performance to edge defending champions Senegal 1-0 in their second Group C clash at the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations on Monday evening at the Suez Stadium.
Head coach Desmond Ofei made two changes to the side that opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo, bringing in fresh legs as Abdul Hakim Sulemana and Andrews Adjabeng made way in the starting lineup.
The Black Satellites started the match with intensity and were rewarded in the 15th minute when Emmanuel Mensah calmly finished a well-threaded through ball from Jerry Afriyie, giving Ghana an early lead.
From there, the young Ghanaians delivered a disciplined and tactically astute performance, particularly in the first half where they remained compact and sharp in transition.
Senegal responded with urgency after the break, dominating possession and applying relentless pressure in search of an equalizer. However, Ghana’s backline, marshaled by goalkeeper Gidios Aseako, stood firm.
Aseako delivered a heroic, man-of-the-match performance, making seven crucial saves to keep the Young Teranga Lions at bay and secure a valuable clean sheet for his side.
The win sees Ghana move level with DR Congo at the top of Group C with four points apiece, setting up a crucial final round of fixtures.
The Black Satellites will face the Central African Republic in their concluding group match, while Senegal, now in a must-win scenario will battle DR Congo in a decisive encounter.