Ghana’s Black Satellites delivered a significant boost to their aspirations of advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2025 CAF Under-20 Men’s AFCON, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory against pre-tournament favorites and defending champions Senegal in a thrilling Group C encounter.
Ghana had drawn 1-1 against DR Congo in their first game of the group and needed win to boost their chances of qualification to the knockouts stages.
The decisive moment came early in the 14th minute when forward Emmanuel Mensah showcased his clinical finishing, sweeping a left-footed strike into the right corner of the net after being expertly set up by a pinpoint pass from teammate Jerry Afriyie.
Afriyie, a talented forward from CD Lugo who has recently earned call-ups to Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars, was instrumental in the buildup but squandered a golden opportunity to extend Ghana’s lead to 2-0 later in the match.
Having started on the bench in Ghana’s opening Group C fixture—a 1-1 draw against D.R. Congo—Afriyie marked his first goal contribution of the tournament with this assist, underlining his growing influence.
The match also saw highly rated midfielder Abdul Aziz Issah make his tournament debut in the starting lineup, adding composure and creativity to Ghana’s midfield as they held firm against a resilient Senegalese side.
The victory propelled Ghana to second place in Group C, level on four points with group leaders D.R. Congo, who strengthened their position with a commanding 3-1 win over Central African Republic (C.A.R.) in the group’s other fixture.
With momentum on their side, the Black Satellites now turn their attention to their final group stage match against C.A.R., scheduled for Thursday, May 8, at 18:00 GMT.
A positive result in this clash could secure Ghana’s passage to the knockout rounds, keeping their dreams of AFCON glory alive.
