Black Satellites
Ghana’s U-20 male football side, the Black Satellites clash with their Congolese counterparts in the opening game of the 13th African Games at the Accra Sports Stadium today.
And to coach of the side, Desmond Ofei, the African Games scheduled for March 8 to 23, means a lot to them, and his charges are bent on proving a point.
The game comes on the heels of an anticipated grand opening ceremony in the country’s capital, having rounded up their final training session at the Achimota School Park yesterday.
Led by Desmond Ofei, the 2009 U-20 FIFA World Cup winners embarked on extensive training in both Prampram and Cape Coast ahead of the games.
And as part of their training programme, the team engaged Premier League side, Legon Cities in a test game which produced no goals.
The results notwithstanding, it offered the coach an opportunity to assess and to sharpen the edges of his side before the competition.
The coach said in an earlier interview, “This African Games means a lot to us, and we want to prove something to the nation. The boys are really hungry and ready to showcase their talents.”
Ghana, led by Kwasi Appiah and Maxwell Konadu, won gold when they last participated in the competition in Maputo.
The 13th African Games is expected to attract over 13,000 participants, with 5,000 athletes, 3,000 volunteers, 3,000 technical officers and 2,000 guests, while over two billion spectators are expected to participate via TV, radio and other virtual platforms globally.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum