Ghana edge Central African Republic to finish top of Group C

Ghana U20 secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Central African Republic on Thursday to finish top of Group C and book their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2025.

Joseph Opoku’s composed finish in the 84th minute proved decisive at the Suez Canal Stadium, ending a tense contest that had seen Ghana dominate possession and chances without reward for much of the game.

The result means Ghana top the group with seven points from three matches, while Senegal’s 2-0 win over DR Congo in the other group fixture ensured they joined the Black Satellites in the last eight.

Despite needing a win to progress, the Central African Republic (CAR) found themselves mostly on the back foot, struggling to create clear chances against a compact and organised Ghanaian defence.

The Black Satellites, meanwhile, continued to probe through the efforts of Aziz Issah and Andrews Adjabeng, but wayward finishing and resilient defending kept the score goalless until the dying stages.

The breakthrough finally came when Joseph Aidoo’s surging run on the counterattack released Opoku in the box. The substitute made no mistake, slotting past the CAR goalkeeper to break the deadlock and send the Ghana bench into celebration.

CAR’s hopes of a comeback faded in the final minutes, as Ghana expertly managed the game to close out their second win of the tournament.

“This result was the reward for our patience and tactical discipline,” said Ghana U20 coach Desmond Ofei.

“The boys showed maturity today, and now we look forward to the knockout stage with confidence.”

Ghana entered the match knowing a draw would be enough to progress, having already beaten Senegal and drawn with DR Congo.

For CAR, it was a must-win encounter, but their campaign ends with one point from three matches and no victories—a stark contrast to their 2021 quarter-final run.

The Black Satellites have now gone unbeaten in the group stage for the first time since 2013 and are bidding to lift a record-extending fifth U20 AFCON title.

The full line-up for the knock-out stages will confirmed after the final round of group matches concludes on Friday.